Over the last 12 months, only the large cities with population exceeding 1,000,000 experienced healthy employment gains, according to the latest numbers released by the Department of Bureau and Labor.

Employment rose in 76% of the metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, compared to 16% employment growth among all 388 metropolitan areas.

Booming Cities Last 12 Months

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in:

• Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (+4.0 percent),
• Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona (+3.7 percent),
• Austin-Round Rock, Texas (+3.5 percent),
• Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (+3.5 percent).

Worst Employment Growth Cities

The map above shows the cities with employment growth at the bottom of the barrel.

In Louisiana that includes:

• Houma
• Alexandria
• Shreveport

In Mississippi, the worst cities are:

• Jackson (the capital)
• Biloxi/Gulfport

Notice the map of worst cities is concentrated in the Northeast, mainly Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. It is no coincidence that these states with declining opportunity have angry voters looking for someone just as angry to lead them out of a poor economy with promises of bring back the economy.

16% of America is Doing Great But 84% of the Cities Had Zero Growth In Employment Over The Past Year

Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 16% for the 388 metropolitan areas with 84% of the cities unchanged over the last year in growing their employment. The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in:

• Midland, Texas (+6.7 percent),
• Colorado Springs, Colorado (+5.5 percent),
• Reno, Nevada (+5.3 percent).

Hard Data: Table of Each City’s Employment Growth Last 12 Months: Above 2% Growth

Cities With Zero and Worse Employment Growth Last 12 Months