AUSTIN ⎯ The Texas economy expanded for the 14th consecutive month with the addition of 5,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in August. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent, down from 4.3 percent in July. Annual employment growth for Texas was 2.5 percent, which was more than double the annual growth rate set the previous year.
“Texas employers added 298,600 jobs over the year in the diverse and competitive Texas economy,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “TWC is dedicated to building and deploying the partnerships necessary to support the rebuilding of our Texas communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey and to put our fellow Texans back to work.”
The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities Industry recorded the largest private-industry gain over the month with 9,100 jobs added. Construction expanded by 2,600 jobs, adding 15,200 jobs over the year. Manufacturing saw an increase of 2,200 jobs in August, representing a 4.2 percent employment growth rate over the year, the industry’s highest annual growth rate since March 2012.
“Private-sector employment was strong over the year with an increase in overall jobs of 270,800, including 4,400 jobs added in August,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “After the devastating impacts of Hurricane Harvey, TWC and our Workforce Solutions partners are committed to ensuring our state resources and services are provided to impacted Texas businesses, individuals, and communities to help get Texans get back to work and regain their lives.”
The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 3.1 percent, followed by the Midland MSA with a rate of 3.2 percent and the Austin-Round Rock MSA with a rate of 3.4 percent for August.
“Several Goods Producing industries are showing strength in Texas, including Construction, which has added 15,200 jobs over the year,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “If you have been unable to work due to Hurricane Harvey, go to http://texasworkforce.org for more information on disaster recovery resources.”
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.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for September is scheduled to be released on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
August 2017 | July 2017 | August 2016 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
United States | 160,863.0 | 153,576.0 | 7,287.0 | 4.5 | 161,911.0 | 154,470.0 | 7,441.0 | 4.6 | 159,800.0 | 151,804.0 | 7,996.0 | 5.0 |
Texas | 13,406.8 | 12,802.0 | 604.8 | 4.5 | 13,434.6 | 12,850.6 | 584.0 | 4.3 | 13,295.2 | 12,639.0 | 656.2 | 4.9 |
Abilene | 73.6 | 70.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 73.8 | 70.9 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 74.3 | 71.2 | 3.1 | 4.2 |
Amarillo | 131.4 | 127.3 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 131.7 | 127.5 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 130.8 | 126.4 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
Austin-Round Rock | 1,126.1 | 1,088.3 | 37.8 | 3.4 | 1,132.3 | 1,095.9 | 36.4 | 3.2 | 1,110.4 | 1,072.2 | 38.2 | 3.4 |
Beaumont-Port Arthur | 171.3 | 158.9 | 12.3 | 7.2 | 171.4 | 159.6 | 11.7 | 6.8 | 173.2 | 160.2 | 13.0 | 7.5 |
Brownsville-Harlingen | 167.5 | 155.3 | 12.3 | 7.3 | 167.4 | 155.6 | 11.8 | 7.0 | 166.7 | 154.1 | 12.6 | 7.5 |
College Station-Bryan | 124.0 | 119.5 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 124.4 | 120.1 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 121.2 | 116.2 | 4.9 | 4.1 |
Corpus Christi | 208.2 | 196.1 | 12.1 | 5.8 | 207.9 | 196.5 | 11.4 | 5.5 | 205.0 | 192.2 | 12.8 | 6.2 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 3,773.6 | 3,626.8 | 146.7 | 3.9 | 3,782.9 | 3,641.3 | 141.6 | 3.7 | 3,699.8 | 3,549.5 | 150.3 | 4.1 |
Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,547.0 | 2,448.6 | 98.3 | 3.9 | 2,550.4 | 2,455.7 | 94.7 | 3.7 | 2,494.0 | 2,394.9 | 99.1 | 4.0 |
Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,226.6 | 1,178.2 | 48.4 | 3.9 | 1,232.5 | 1,185.6 | 46.9 | 3.8 | 1,205.8 | 1,154.6 | 51.2 | 4.2 |
El Paso | 355.5 | 338.4 | 17.1 | 4.8 | 355.9 | 339.4 | 16.5 | 4.6 | 351.0 | 332.4 | 18.6 | 5.3 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,307.7 | 3,137.2 | 170.6 | 5.2 | 3,319.7 | 3,157.0 | 162.7 | 4.9 | 3,286.9 | 3,099.0 | 187.9 | 5.7 |
Killeen-Temple | 178.7 | 171.1 | 7.6 | 4.2 | 178.9 | 171.5 | 7.4 | 4.1 | 175.4 | 167.2 | 8.2 | 4.6 |
Laredo | 113.6 | 108.6 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 114.3 | 109.5 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 113.5 | 107.7 | 5.8 | 5.2 |
Longview | 96.7 | 91.7 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 96.7 | 91.8 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 98.6 | 91.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
Lubbock | 160.0 | 154.2 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 159.3 | 153.5 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 158.7 | 152.8 | 5.8 | 3.7 |
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 335.1 | 308.4 | 26.7 | 8.0 | 334.2 | 308.7 | 25.5 | 7.6 | 333.9 | 306.2 | 27.7 | 8.3 |
Midland | 86.4 | 83.6 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 86.8 | 84.0 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 86.5 | 82.4 | 4.1 | 4.7 |
Odessa | 74.0 | 70.8 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 74.2 | 71.1 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 75.4 | 70.1 | 5.3 | 7.0 |
San Angelo | 53.7 | 51.6 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 53.6 | 51.6 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 54.8 | 52.2 | 2.6 | 4.8 |
San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,156.4 | 1,113.3 | 43.1 | 3.7 | 1,155.1 | 1,112.8 | 42.3 | 3.7 | 1,140.4 | 1,095.1 | 45.3 | 4.0 |
Sherman-Denison | 61.7 | 59.4 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 61.7 | 59.5 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 61.2 | 58.7 | 2.4 | 4.0 |
Texarkana | 64.5 | 61.5 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 65.0 | 61.9 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 65.2 | 61.9 | 3.2 | 5.0 |
Tyler | 106.7 | 102.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 107.3 | 103.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 106.3 | 101.0 | 5.3 | 5.0 |
Victoria | 46.7 | 44.4 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 46.5 | 44.3 | 2.2 | 4.7 | 47.2 | 44.4 | 2.8 | 6.0 |
Waco | 121.9 | 116.5 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 122.7 | 117.2 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 122.9 | 117.7 | 5.2 | 4.2 |
Wichita Falls | 62.9 | 60.4 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 63.3 | 60.9 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 63.9 | 61.0 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
INDUSTRY TITLE | Aug 2017* | Jul 2017 | Aug 2016 | Jul '17 to Aug '17 | Aug '16 to Aug '17 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
Total Nonagricultural | 12,333,900 | 12,328,400 | 12,035,300 | 5,500 | 0.0 | 298,600 | 2.5 |
Total Private | 10,374,700 | 10,370,300 | 10,103,900 | 4,400 | 0.0 | 270,800 | 2.7 |
Goods Producing | 1,836,100 | 1,830,300 | 1,755,800 | 5,800 | 0.3 | 80,300 | 4.6 |
Mining and Logging | 243,900 | 242,900 | 214,400 | 1,000 | 0.4 | 29,500 | 13.8 |
Construction | 714,800 | 712,200 | 699,600 | 2,600 | 0.4 | 15,200 | 2.2 |
Manufacturing | 877,400 | 875,200 | 841,800 | 2,200 | 0.3 | 35,600 | 4.2 |
Service Providing | 10,497,800 | 10,498,100 | 10,279,500 | -300 | 0.0 | 218,300 | 2.1 |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,452,500 | 2,443,400 | 2,424,300 | 9,100 | 0.4 | 28,200 | 1.2 |
Information | 191,400 | 193,300 | 202,100 | -1,900 | -1.0 | -10,700 | -5.3 |
Financial Activities | 757,800 | 758,200 | 734,100 | -400 | -0.1 | 23,700 | 3.2 |
Professional and Business Services | 1,679,400 | 1,680,300 | 1,631,500 | -900 | -0.1 | 47,900 | 2.9 |
Education and Health Services | 1,686,600 | 1,688,800 | 1,640,300 | -2,200 | -0.1 | 46,300 | 2.8 |
Leisure and Hospitality | 1,328,700 | 1,327,300 | 1,294,100 | 1,400 | 0.1 | 34,600 | 2.7 |
Other Services | 442,200 | 448,700 | 421,700 | -6,500 | -1.4 | 20,500 | 4.9 |
Government | 1,959,200 | 1,958,100 | 1,931,400 | 1,100 | 0.1 | 27,800 | 1.4 |
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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.