Texas’ Unemployment Rate Falls to New Record Low 3.8 percent

AUSTIN ⎯ Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent, setting a new record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in four decades. The Texas economy added 54,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in November. Annual employment growth for Texas increased to 2.7 percent in November, marking 91 consecutive months of annual growth.

“The addition of 330,600 jobs over the year demonstrates the consistency with which employers in our state create job opportunities for the highly skilled Texas workforce,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “The Texas economy offers employers access to a competitive workforce and provides job seekers with career options in a variety of growing Texas industries.”

Nine of eleven major industries showed increased growth in November, including Professional and Business Services with 14,700 jobs added and Construction which added 8,200 positions. Leisure and Hospitality employment continued to grow by adding 8,000 jobs in November.

Employment in Education and Health Services increased by 8,200 positions. Over the year, this industry has gained 40,400 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment grew by 8,200 jobs, and Manufacturing industry jobs increased by 2,700 positions.

“Private-sector employers added 52,000 jobs in November and have accounted for the addition of 294,600 positions in Texas over the past year,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “I am encouraged by the growth across a variety of industries and commend our employers for their investment in our Texas workforce.”

The Amarillo and Midland Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.6 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan and Lubbock MSAs with a rate of 2.7 percent. The San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA registered a rate of 3.0 percent for November.

“Employment demand continues to be high in well-paying industries such as Manufacturing, Construction, and Mining and Logging,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “I encourage career exploration in these and other industries that are growing in Texas. TWC’s labor market information tools and products are designed to inform, prepare and advance our Texas workforce. Visit a Workforce Solutions Office to find out more about the latest employment opportunities available.”

Audio downloads with comments from Commissioner Hughs on the latest labor market data are available on the TWC website press release page. Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit tracer2.com.

The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for December is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 19, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
  November 2017 October 2017 November 2016
  C.L.F. Emp.  Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp.  Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp.  Unemp. Rate
United States 160,466.0 154,180.0 6,286.0 3.9 160,465.0 154,223.0 6,242.0 3.9 159,451.0 152,385.0 7,066.0 4.4
Texas 13,501.8 13,002.6 499.3 3.7 13,392.5 12,922.8 469.7 3.5 13,371.1 12,771.2 599.9 4.5
Abilene 75.0 72.6 2.4 3.2 74.2 71.9 2.3 3.1 75.0 72.2 2.9 3.8
Amarillo 132.6 129.3 3.4 2.6 131.6 128.5 3.2 2.4 132.0 127.9 4.2 3.1
Austin-Round Rock 1,146.7 1,115.4 31.3 2.7 1,133.6 1,104.4 29.3 2.6 1,124.6 1,088.7 35.9 3.2
Beaumont-Port Arthur 172.5 161.3 11.1 6.5 171.5 160.6 10.9 6.3 173.8 161.8 12.0 6.9
Brownsville-Harlingen 164.1 154.6 9.5 5.8 163.1 154.2 8.9 5.5 166.6 154.9 11.7 7.0
College Station-Bryan 131.7 128.1 3.6 2.7 131.5 128.2 3.3 2.5 128.5 124.1 4.3 3.4
Corpus Christi 209.3 198.2 11.0 5.3 207.7 197.1 10.7 5.1 205.9 193.5 12.4 6.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 3,811.5 3,691.1 120.4 3.2 3,773.3 3,660.4 112.9 3.0 3,738.9 3,600.7 138.2 3.7
    Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,574.8 2,493.8 81.0 3.1 2,546.4 2,470.3 76.1 3.0 2,523.1 2,431.5 91.6 3.6
    Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,236.7 1,197.3 39.4 3.2 1,226.9 1,190.1 36.9 3.0 1,215.8 1,169.2 46.6 3.8
El Paso 360.7 346.3 14.4 4.0 356.4 342.9 13.5 3.8 355.6 338.6 17.0 4.8
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,309.9 3,167.5 142.4 4.3 3,284.4 3,149.1 135.3 4.1 3,295.4 3,123.3 172.1 5.2
Killeen-Temple 179.7 173.2 6.5 3.6 178.5 172.4 6.1 3.4 177.7 170.1 7.6 4.3
Laredo 114.4 110.5 3.9 3.4 113.4 109.7 3.7 3.2 114.8 109.7 5.1 4.4
Longview 97.5 93.4 4.1 4.2 96.8 92.9 3.9 4.0 98.2 92.3 5.9 6.0
Lubbock 159.6 155.2 4.4 2.7 158.9 154.9 4.1 2.5 159.2 154.1 5.1 3.2
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 337.3 316.3 21.0 6.2 332.8 314.1 18.8 5.6 335.7 310.3 25.4 7.6
Midland 87.3 85.1 2.2 2.6 86.3 84.2 2.1 2.4 86.7 83.2 3.5 4.0
Odessa 74.8 72.3 2.5 3.4 74.3 72.0 2.4 3.2 74.9 70.5 4.4 5.9
San Angelo 54.1 52.5 1.7 3.1 54.0 52.4 1.6 2.9 54.7 52.3 2.3 4.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,168.8 1,133.2 35.6 3.0 1,159.4 1,126.3 33.1 2.9 1,145.1 1,103.2 41.9 3.7
Sherman-Denison 61.4 59.5 1.9 3.1 60.8 59.1 1.7 2.9 61.4 59.1 2.2 3.7
Texarkana 65.1 62.5 2.6 4.0 64.7 62.2 2.5 3.8 65.0 62.1 2.9 4.4
Tyler 107.2 103.5 3.7 3.5 107.2 103.0 4.2 3.9 106.8 102.1 4.6 4.4
Victoria 46.9 44.9 1.9 4.1 46.6 44.7 1.8 4.0 47.3 44.8 2.5 5.4
Waco 120.7 116.5 4.2 3.5 120.5 116.4 4.0 3.3 122.8 118.1 4.7 3.9
Wichita Falls 63.3 61.2 2.1 3.3 62.9 61.0 1.9 3.0 63.4 60.8 2.6 4.2

 

Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted
INDUSTRY TITLE Nov 2017* Oct 2017 Nov 2016 Oct ’17 to Nov ’17 Nov ’16 to Nov ’17
Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change
 
Total Nonagricultural 12,445,200 12,390,700 12,114,600 54,500 0.4 330,600 2.7  
Total Private 10,471,700 10,419,700 10,177,100 52,000 0.5 294,600 2.9  
Goods Producing 1,857,700 1,845,500 1,762,900 12,200 0.7 94,800 5.4  
     Mining and Logging 248,900 247,600 216,100 1,300 0.5 32,800 15.2  
     Construction 729,400 721,200 705,500 8,200 1.1 23,900 3.4  
     Manufacturing 879,400 876,700 841,300 2,700 0.3 38,100 4.5  
Service Providing 10,587,500 10,545,200 10,351,700 42,300 0.4 235,800 2.3  
     Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,468,400 2,460,200 2,438,700 8,200 0.3 29,700 1.2  
     Information 188,200 189,800 201,300 -1,600 -0.8 -13,100 -6.5  
     Financial Activities 768,300 765,200 738,900 3,100 0.4 29,400 4.0  
     Professional and Business Services 1,700,600 1,685,900 1,644,100 14,700 0.9 56,500 3.4  
     Education and Health Services 1,692,200 1,684,000 1,651,800 8,200 0.5 40,400 2.4  
     Leisure and Hospitality 1,348,500 1,340,500 1,310,100 8,000 0.6 38,400 2.9  
     Other Services 447,800 448,600 429,300 -800 -0.2 18,500 4.3  
     Government 1,973,500 1,971,000 1,937,500 2,500 0.1 36,000 1.9  

The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.