AUSTIN ⎯ Texas employers expanded their payrolls in January with the addition of 51,300 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent.
“Texas employers and our talented workforce started 2017 on a high note with the addition of 51,300 jobs in January,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Andres Alcantar. “Employers in a diverse range of industries have added 225,300 jobs over the year, a reflection of the many competitive advantages Texas offers to employers, including a strong business climate and an expanding and highly skilled workforce.”
The Professional and Business Services industry recorded the largest private-industry employment gain over the month with 14,000 jobs added. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment grew by 8,100 jobs in January, and Manufacturing employment expanded by 7,300 jobs.
“Private-sector employment was strong over the year with an increase in overall jobs of 183,100, and 45,900 jobs added in January,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “Texas employers continue to strengthen the job market by expanding employment and training opportunities.”
The Amarillo and Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 3.4 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock MSA with a rate of 3.5 percent for January.
“Our economy continues to offer many diverse opportunities to job seekers,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “I encourage all job seekers to contact their local Workforce Solutions office for assistance with job training, placement and other specialized employment services.”
An audio download with comments from Commissioner Hughs on the latest labor market data is available on the TWC 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.
Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
| January 2017 | December 2016 | January 2016 | ||||||||||
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 158,676.0 | 150,527.0 | 8,149.0 | 5.1 | 158,968.0 | 151,798.0 | 7,170.0 | 4.5 | 157,347.0 | 149,037.0 | 8,309.0 | 5.3 |
| Texas | 13,358.0 | 12,697.1 | 660.9 | 4.9 | 13,353.3 | 12,747.3 | 606.0 | 4.5 | 13,113.0 | 12,521.5 | 591.5 | 4.5 |
| Abilene | 74.1 | 71.0 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 74.4 | 71.5 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 74.2 | 71.3 | 2.9 | 3.9 |
| Amarillo | 131.9 | 127.5 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 131.7 | 127.6 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 130.2 | 126.2 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,122.5 | 1,083.5 | 39.0 | 3.5 | 1,120.1 | 1,084.6 | 35.5 | 3.2 | 1,088.5 | 1,053.2 | 35.3 | 3.2 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 175.3 | 160.9 | 14.4 | 8.2 | 173.7 | 160.8 | 13.0 | 7.5 | 174.9 | 162.9 | 12.0 | 6.9 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 167.8 | 154.2 | 13.6 | 8.1 | 166.5 | 154.3 | 12.2 | 7.4 | 164.0 | 152.2 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| College Station-Bryan | 127.1 | 122.5 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 126.6 | 122.3 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 124.3 | 119.9 | 4.3 | 3.5 |
| Corpus Christi | 205.9 | 191.8 | 14.1 | 6.8 | 206.0 | 193.2 | 12.8 | 6.2 | 203.9 | 192.2 | 11.7 | 5.8 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 3,742.5 | 3,591.6 | 150.9 | 4.0 | 3,732.6 | 3,594.6 | 138.0 | 3.7 | 3,616.3 | 3,476.1 | 140.2 | 3.9 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,527.1 | 2,426.6 | 100.5 | 4.0 | 2,520.6 | 2,429.0 | 91.6 | 3.6 | 2,433.4 | 2,341.1 | 92.3 | 3.8 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,215.4 | 1,165.0 | 50.4 | 4.2 | 1,212.0 | 1,165.6 | 46.4 | 3.8 | 1,182.9 | 1,135.0 | 47.9 | 4.0 |
| El Paso | 354.6 | 336.1 | 18.5 | 5.2 | 354.3 | 337.3 | 17.0 | 4.8 | 346.5 | 329.2 | 17.3 | 5.0 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,292.0 | 3,102.3 | 189.6 | 5.8 | 3,299.6 | 3,125.0 | 174.6 | 5.3 | 3,263.5 | 3,103.7 | 159.8 | 4.9 |
| Killeen-Temple | 177.6 | 169.3 | 8.3 | 4.7 | 177.1 | 169.6 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 172.6 | 165.0 | 7.6 | 4.4 |
| Laredo | 114.6 | 108.9 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 114.6 | 109.4 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 112.2 | 106.6 | 5.5 | 4.9 |
| Longview | 97.8 | 91.4 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 97.7 | 92.0 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 98.4 | 93.0 | 5.4 | 5.5 |
| Lubbock | 157.9 | 152.5 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 158.1 | 153.1 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 154.7 | 149.5 | 5.2 | 3.4 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 340.6 | 309.8 | 30.8 | 9.0 | 339.9 | 311.9 | 28.0 | 8.2 | 332.5 | 305.1 | 27.4 | 8.2 |
| Midland | 86.4 | 82.8 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 86.2 | 82.8 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 88.7 | 85.2 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Odessa | 75.0 | 70.6 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 74.9 | 70.7 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 77.1 | 72.8 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| San Angelo | 53.9 | 51.4 | 2.5 | 4.6 | 54.4 | 52.1 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 54.6 | 52.3 | 2.3 | 4.2 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,141.2 | 1,096.2 | 44.9 | 3.9 | 1,143.1 | 1,101.5 | 41.6 | 3.6 | 1,116.3 | 1,074.9 | 41.4 | 3.7 |
| Sherman-Denison | 61.1 | 58.6 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 61.0 | 58.8 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 59.7 | 57.3 | 2.4 | 4.0 |
| Texarkana | 64.2 | 60.9 | 3.3 | 5.1 | 64.6 | 61.6 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 64.7 | 61.6 | 3.1 | 4.8 |
| Tyler | 105.5 | 100.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 106.8 | 102.2 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 103.3 | 98.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Victoria | 47.0 | 44.2 | 2.7 | 5.8 | 47.1 | 44.7 | 2.5 | 5.2 | 47.5 | 45.3 | 2.2 | 4.6 |
| Waco | 122.1 | 117.0 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 122.3 | 117.6 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 119.9 | 115.2 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| Wichita Falls | 63.3 | 60.4 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 63.2 | 60.6 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 63.9 | 61.0 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
TEXAS NONAGRICULTURAL WAGE AND SALARY EMPLOYMENT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Jan 2017* | Dec 2016 | Jan 2016 | Dec ’16 to Jan ’17 | Jan ’16 to Jan ’17 | |||
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | |||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 12,189,100 | 12,137,800 | 11,963,800 | 51,300 | 0.4 | 225,300 | 1.9 | |
| Total Private | 10,243,300 | 10,197,400 | 10,060,200 | 45,900 | 0.5 | 183,100 | 1.8 | |
| Goods Producing | 1,777,600 | 1,763,100 | 1,797,200 | 14,500 | 0.8 | -19,600 | -1.1 | |
| Mining and Logging | 218,200 | 216,300 | 241,800 | 1,900 | 0.9 | -23,600 | -9.8 | |
| Construction | 710,200 | 704,900 | 696,500 | 5,300 | 0.8 | 13,700 | 2.0 | |
| Manufacturing | 849,200 | 841,900 | 858,900 | 7,300 | 0.9 | -9,700 | -1.1 | |
| Service Providing | 10,411,500 | 10,374,700 | 10,166,600 | 36,800 | 0.4 | 244,900 | 2.4 | |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,454,800 | 2,446,700 | 2,409,600 | 8,100 | 0.3 | 45,200 | 1.9 | |
| Information | 198,000 | 201,300 | 201,900 | -3,300 | -1.6 | -3,900 | -1.9 | |
| Financial Activities | 744,900 | 739,100 | 726,800 | 5,800 | 0.8 | 18,100 | 2.5 | |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,661,200 | 1,647,200 | 1,615,700 | 14,000 | 0.8 | 45,500 | 2.8 | |
| Education and Health Services | 1,657,700 | 1,658,600 | 1,610,600 | -900 | -0.1 | 47,100 | 2.9 | |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,319,600 | 1,312,600 | 1,275,300 | 7,000 | 0.5 | 44,300 | 3.5 | |
| Other Services | 429,500 | 428,800 | 423,100 | 700 | 0.2 | 6,400 | 1.5 | |
| Government | 1,945,800 | 1,940,400 | 1,903,600 | 5,400 | 0.3 | 42,200 | 2.2 | |
#ljg
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.