Strong employment conditions continue in Bergen County in 2003.

According to the New Jersey Department of Labor, more private-sector jobs are located in Bergen County than any other county in New Jersey.

Bergen County is home to the most manufacturing, wholesale/retail trade, and service industry jobs in New Jersey.

The services sector, (ie. business, health, personal, engineering, accounting, and management services) has been expanding steadily. During the last seven years 42,200 new jobs were created in Bergen County, an increase of 36.5 percent that was greater than the 28.9 percent rate of growth statewide.

Despite consolidations in the banking, finance and insurance industries, these sectors rose by 4,900 or 20.0 percent since 1993. In comparison, statewide employment in finance, insurance and real estate expanded by 13.2 percent.

Employment in wholesale/retail trade expanded by 9,200 (7.3%) over the past seven years. The rate of increase, however, was less than that realized statewide (11.9%) due mainly to the dwindling supply of available retail space in the county, one of the most desirable retail markets in the nation.

Gains were achieved at both the wholesale (3,700) and retail (5,500) levels as favorable economic conditions boosted consumer demand over the period. New jobs were created as retailers opened new locations or expanded older sites. Major expansions of the Garden State Plaza, Riverside Square and Paramus Park Malls added about 1,000 retail jobs.

The only industry to register a loss was manufacturing, down by 4,300 jobs over the seven-year period. The drop in Bergen County’s manufacturing employment (-5.9%), however, was not as dramatic as losses statewide (-12.0%). Despite the loss, Bergen County remains home to more manufacturing jobs than any other New Jersey county.

In fact, 14.8 percent of all New Jersey manufacturing jobs are located in Bergen County. Moreover, there have been indications recently that the long-term slide in manufacturing employment in the county has begun to level off.