Historic Low Continues in October 2019: Texas Adds Fifth Month of Record Low Unemployment
Date: November 15, 2019
Media Contact: Cisco Gamez
Phone: 512-463-8556
Unemployment Rate Holds at 3.4 Percent as Economy Adds 30,100 Jobs
AUSTIN ⎯ The Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.4 percent in October 2019. This marks the fifth consecutive month of record low unemployment in the state starting in June 2019. It is the lowest unemployment rate since series tracking began in 1976.
“This is yet another historic moment for Texas. For the past five months, our unemployment rate has remained at a record low,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “It’s no surprise that our innovative businesses, hardworking labor force and strong state leadership continue to yield economic results to highlight Texas as one of the best places to work in the country.”
Texas employers added 297,100 jobs over the year. Total nonfarm annual employment growth was at 2.4 percent in October and has held at or above 2.0 percent since February 2018.
“October Labor market data is great news for Texas workers,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “Their skills continue to be in high demand and more and more individuals are finding employment. These numbers are a wonderful reminder of why I am proud to be a Texan.”
Leading job growth in October was the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities industry adding 9,700 jobs, followed by Professional and Business Services adding 6,300 jobs and Education and Health Services which added 5,300 jobs.
“Thanks to the hard work of Texas businesses our state’s vast economy continues to thrive with employers adding over 290,000 jobs in the last year,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson “By continuing to support local businesses, we can ensure our industries continue to flourish and set new records.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded October’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.1 percent, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.4. The Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan and Lubbock MSAs each recorded the third lowest rate at 2.6 percent.
Audio downloads with comments from Commissioner Alvarez on the latest labor market data are available on the TWC webpage for recent press releases. 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 TexasLMI.com.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for November is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 20, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
| Area | October 2019 | September 2019 | October 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 164,576.0 | 159,067.0 | 5,510.0 | 3.3 | 163,943.0 | 158,478.0 | 5,465.0 | 3.3 | 162,723.0 | 156,952.0 | 5,771.0 | 3.5 |
| Texas | 14,189.1 | 13,721.1 | 468.0 | 3.3 | 14,113.1 | 13,641.6 | 471.5 | 3.3 | 13,901.1 | 13,411.9 | 489.2 | 3.5 |
| Abilene | 77.6 | 75.4 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 77.1 | 74.9 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 77.2 | 74.8 | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| Amarillo | 133.0 | 129.8 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 132.0 | 128.7 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 132.1 | 128.7 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,230.5 | 1,199.1 | 31.4 | 2.6 | 1,220.4 | 1,188.5 | 31.9 | 2.6 | 1,203.1 | 1,169.7 | 33.4 | 2.8 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 177.5 | 168.6 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 177.1 | 167.7 | 9.3 | 5.3 | 177.3 | 168.2 | 9.1 | 5.1 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 164.3 | 155.9 | 8.5 | 5.2 | 164.8 | 156.3 | 8.5 | 5.2 | 163.9 | 155.2 | 8.7 | 5.3 |
| College Station-Bryan | 138.9 | 135.3 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 135.8 | 132.2 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 136.4 | 132.7 | 3.7 | 2.7 |
| Corpus Christi | 209.4 | 201.2 | 8.2 | 3.9 | 208.1 | 199.7 | 8.5 | 4.1 | 207.5 | 198.5 | 8.9 | 4.3 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,025.2 | 3,901.3 | 123.9 | 3.1 | 4,010.4 | 3,887.2 | 123.2 | 3.1 | 3,928.9 | 3,800.5 | 128.4 | 3.3 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,728.3 | 2,645.7 | 82.5 | 3.0 | 2,718.9 | 2,635.8 | 83.1 | 3.1 | 2,650.9 | 2,563.9 | 87.0 | 3.3 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,296.9 | 1,255.5 | 41.4 | 3.2 | 1,291.6 | 1,251.4 | 40.1 | 3.1 | 1,278.0 | 1,236.6 | 41.4 | 3.2 |
| El Paso | 366.3 | 352.8 | 13.5 | 3.7 | 363.9 | 350.4 | 13.5 | 3.7 | 362.4 | 348.1 | 14.3 | 3.9 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,476.7 | 3,353.7 | 123.1 | 3.5 | 3,455.7 | 3,331.0 | 124.7 | 3.6 | 3,403.8 | 3,272.3 | 131.5 | 3.9 |
| Killeen-Temple | 180.2 | 173.8 | 6.3 | 3.5 | 178.9 | 172.5 | 6.4 | 3.6 | 176.0 | 169.1 | 7.0 | 4.0 |
| Laredo | 118.4 | 114.3 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 117.8 | 113.8 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 116.4 | 112.3 | 4.1 | 3.5 |
| Longview | 97.7 | 94.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 97.2 | 93.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 98.2 | 94.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Lubbock | 165.2 | 160.8 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 164.2 | 159.8 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 163.0 | 158.4 | 4.6 | 2.8 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 356.2 | 336.4 | 19.8 | 5.6 | 352.8 | 332.1 | 20.6 | 5.8 | 345.3 | 326.3 | 19.0 | 5.5 |
| Midland | 108.1 | 105.9 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 108.0 | 105.8 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 107.5 | 105.3 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Odessa | 87.3 | 85.0 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 87.3 | 85.0 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 86.9 | 84.8 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| San Angelo | 56.2 | 54.6 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 56.1 | 54.5 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 55.9 | 54.2 | 1.7 | 3.0 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,228.4 | 1,192.7 | 35.7 | 2.9 | 1,215.2 | 1,179.3 | 35.9 | 3.0 | 1,191.4 | 1,154.2 | 37.2 | 3.1 |
| Sherman-Denison | 65.0 | 63.2 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 64.6 | 62.7 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 63.9 | 61.9 | 1.9 | 3.0 |
| Texarkana | 65.1 | 62.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 64.9 | 62.3 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 65.1 | 62.0 | 3.1 | 4.8 |
| Tyler | 108.8 | 105.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 108.3 | 104.9 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 108.4 | 104.6 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| Victoria | 46.3 | 44.7 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 46.2 | 44.7 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 46.7 | 45.1 | 1.6 | 3.4 |
| Waco | 127.3 | 123.3 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 126.7 | 122.7 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 125.4 | 121.3 | 4.1 | 3.3 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.7 | 63.8 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 65.6 | 63.6 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 65.7 | 63.7 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Oct 2019* | Sep 2019 | Oct 2018 | Sep '19 to Oct '19 | Oct '18 to Oct '19 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 12,897,400 | 12,867,300 | 12,600,300 | 30,100 | 0.2 | 297,100 | 2.4 |
| Total Private | 10,928,500 | 10,902,300 | 10,643,900 | 26,200 | 0.2 | 284,600 | 2.7 |
| Goods Producing | 1,959,500 | 1,962,100 | 1,887,900 | -2,600 | -0.1 | 71,600 | 3.8 |
| Mining and Logging | 253,400 | 255,400 | 254,600 | -2,000 | -0.8 | -1,200 | -0.5 |
| Construction | 796,300 | 794,800 | 744,900 | 1,500 | 0.2 | 51,400 | 6.9 |
| Manufacturing | 909,800 | 911,900 | 888,400 | -2,100 | -0.2 | 21,400 | 2.4 |
| Service Providing | 10,937,900 | 10,905,200 | 10,712,400 | 32,700 | 0.3 | 225,500 | 2.1 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,535,100 | 2,525,400 | 2,499,300 | 9,700 | 0.4 | 35,800 | 1.4 |
| Information | 202,400 | 201,300 | 202,900 | 1,100 | 0.5 | -500 | -0.2 |
| Financial Activities | 809,100 | 809,000 | 782,100 | 100 | 0.0 | 27,000 | 3.5 |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,793,600 | 1,787,300 | 1,751,600 | 6,300 | 0.4 | 42,000 | 2.4 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,762,800 | 1,757,500 | 1,709,200 | 5,300 | 0.3 | 53,600 | 3.1 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,412,000 | 1,407,100 | 1,373,700 | 4,900 | 0.3 | 38,300 | 2.8 |
| Other Services | 454,000 | 452,600 | 437,200 | 1,400 | 0.3 | 16,800 | 3.8 |
| Government | 1,968,900 | 1,965,000 | 1,956,400 | 3,900 | 0.2 | 12,500 | 0.6 |
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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.
