The U.S. has added an average of 176,000 new jobs a month so far this year. Last year the U.S. economy added an average of 194,000 jobs a month in the same period, between January and August. The full-year average for 2016 was also above 2017's pace at 187,000 jobs a month, according to Labor Department data.
And it wasn't just last year that was better. In 2015, job growth averaged 226,000 a month. In 2014 it was 250,000 jobs a month.
