"After entering 2023 with a sonic boom, the US job market is headed into 2024 at a comfortable cruising speed," Bunker said.
Bunker noted that just a few sectors – education and health services, government, and leisure and hospitality – accounted for more than 75% of the job growth in December.
The public sector led the way last month with 52,000 jobs, overwhelmingly in local government, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job growth was strong in the sector throughout 2023, adding 55,000 positions a month on average compared with monthly gains of 46,000 in 2022.
Social assistance positions rose by 21,000 in December, with jobs gains averaging 22,000 per month in 2023, slightly more than the 19,000 average monthly increase in 2022.
Persons:
Bunker, Nick Bunker
Organizations:
North America, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Health, Employment, CNBC PRO
Locations:
U.S