The total nonfarm job figure for September 2012 for the Pittsburgh region was 1,167,400, and the year-over-year job growth rate was 1.0 percent, which was slightly below the benchmark average of 1.2 percent. Denver had the highest year-over-year job growth rate of our benchmark regions at 2.4 percent.

Manufacturing jobs held steady year-over-year at 88,300. Sectors that are doing well include wholesale trade (up 2.8 percent), transportation and utilities (up 3.5 percent), financial activities (up 5.8 percent), professional and business services (up 3.0 percent), and leisure and hospitality (up 3.4 percent). Eds and meds lost ground year-over-year, declining by 0.8 percent, as did natural resources, mining and construction, which declined 3.9 percent.