Texas Maintains Record Low Unemployment Rate of 3.4 Percent for Fourth Consecutive Month
Date: October 18, 2019
Media Contact: Cisco Gamez
Phone: 512-463-8556
Economy Adds 7,600 Jobs in September
AUSTIN ⎯ In September, the Texas economy added 7,600 seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm positions. The unemployment rate held steady for the fourth month in a row at 3.4 percent matching the all-time record low first set in June. This record is currently the lowest the unemployment rate has been since series tracking began in 1976.
"Texas' fourth straight month of record-setting low unemployment rates highlights the competitive strength of Texas businesses, whose broad-based growth across industries provides exceptional opportunities for our highly skilled workforce," said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. "Texas continues to be a national leader in job creation and the premier place to do business."
Texas employers added 300,000 jobs over the year. Total nonfarm annual employment growth was at 2.4 percent in September and has held at or above 2.0 percent since February 2018.
"Texas' labor force is made up of hard-working individuals who are eager to obtain the skills that our employers need," said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. "Positive economic growth means continued opportunities for the expanding labor force in Texas."
Leading job growth in September was the Professional and Business Services adding 9,600 jobs, followed by Construction adding 7,200 jobs and Education and Health Services which added 1,800 jobs.
"Our Texas employers continue to thrive and grow in our strong and resilient economy," said Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. "Texas has created an environment for success and we continue to support local business expansion efforts over an array of industries."
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded September's lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.0 percent, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.5. The Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan and Odessa MSAs each recorded the third lowest rate at 2.6 percent.
Audio downloads with comments from Chairman Daniel 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 October is scheduled to be released on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
| September 2019 | August 2019 | September 2018 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 163,943 | 158,478 | 5,465 | 3.3 | 164,019 | 157,816 | 6,203 | 3.8 | 161,958 | 156,191 | 5,766.0 | 3.6 |
| Texas | 14,112.7 | 13,641.1 | 471.6 | 3.3 | 14,015.6 | 13,508.8 | 506.8 | 3.6 | 13,849.9 | 13,337 | 512.8 | 3.7 |
| Abilene | 77.1 | 74.8 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 76.2 | 73.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 77.0 | 74.5 | 2.5 | 3.2 |
| Amarillo | 132.0 | 128.7 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 131.5 | 127.9 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 131.4 | 127.9 | 3.5 | 2.7 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,217.8 | 1,185.9 | 31.9 | 2.6 | 1,209.5 | 1,175.8 | 33.7 | 2.8 | 1,200.2 | 1,165.6 | 34.6 | 2.9 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 177.4 | 168.1 | 9.3 | 5.3 | 175.3 | 165 | 10.3 | 5.9 | 176.1 | 166.1 | 9.9 | 5.6 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 164.8 | 156.3 | 8.5 | 5.2 | 164.5 | 155.3 | 9.2 | 5.6 | 164.4 | 155.1 | 9.3 | 5.7 |
| College Station-Bryan | 135.8 | 132.2 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 130.3 | 126.5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 134.4 | 130.6 | 3.8 | 2.8 |
| Corpus Christi | 208.2 | 199.7 | 8.5 | 4.1 | 207.2 | 198.1 | 9.1 | 4.4 | 206.2 | 196.5 | 9.7 | 4.7 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,014.6 | 3,891.4 | 123.2 | 3.1 | 3,986.7 | 3,854.2 | 132.4 | 3.3 | 3,908.7 | 3,775.9 | 132.8 | 3.4 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,720.4 | 2,637.4 | 83.1 | 3.1 | 2,704 | 2,614.8 | 89.3 | 3.3 | 2,636.4 | 2,546.4 | 90.1 | 3.4 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,294.2 | 1,254 | 40.1 | 3.1 | 1,282.6 | 1,239.5 | 43.1 | 3.4 | 1,272.3 | 1,229.5 | 42.7 | 3.4 |
| El Paso | 363.8 | 350.3 | 13.5 | 3.7 | 358.5 | 344.3 | 14.3 | 4.0 | 361.4 | 346.5 | 15.0 | 4.1 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,453.6 | 3,328.9 | 124.7 | 3.6 | 3,428.7 | 3,294.6 | 134.1 | 3.9 | 3,385.5 | 3,245.9 | 139.6 | 4.1 |
| Killeen-Temple | 178.5 | 172.2 | 6.4 | 3.6 | 177.7 | 171.0 | 6.8 | 3.8 | 175.5 | 168.4 | 7.1 | 4.1 |
| Laredo | 118.0 | 114.1 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 117.0 | 112.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 116.2 | 112.1 | 4.1 | 3.6 |
| Longview | 97.0 | 93.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 96.4 | 92.7 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 97.8 | 94.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Lubbock | 164.3 | 159.9 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 163.4 | 158.6 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 162.4 | 157.5 | 4.8 | 3.0 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 352.7 | 332.1 | 20.6 | 5.9 | 350.5 | 328.0 | 22.4 | 6.4 | 344.5 | 323.6 | 21.0 | 6.1 |
| Midland | 107.9 | 105.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 107.4 | 105.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 107.1 | 105.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 |
| Odessa | 87.2 | 84.8 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 86.6 | 84.2 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 86.2 | 84.0 | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| San Angelo | 56.0 | 54.4 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 55.7 | 54.0 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 55.8 | 54.1 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,216.4 | 1,180.5 | 35.9 | 3.0 | 1,205.2 | 1,166.6 | 38.7 | 3.2 | 1,190.4 | 1,151.9 | 38.5 | 3.2 |
| Sherman-Denison | 64.5 | 62.6 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 64.4 | 62.3 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 63.6 | 61.6 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
| Texarkana | 64.7 | 62.0 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 64.1 | 61.2 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 65.0 | 61.6 | 3.4 | 5.2 |
| Tyler | 108.1 | 104.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 107.9 | 104.2 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 107.4 | 103.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| Victoria | 46.1 | 44.6 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 46.0 | 44.4 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 46.7 | 45.1 | 1.7 | 3.6 |
| Waco | 126.3 | 122.3 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 126.2 | 121.8 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 125.6 | 121.3 | 4.3 | 3.4 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.5 | 63.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 65.5 | 63.3 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 65.4 | 63.3 | 2.1 | 3.2 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Sep 2019* | Aug 2019 | Sep 2018 | Aug '19 to Sep '19 | Sep '18 to Sep '19 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 12,860,000 | 12,852,400 | 12,560,000 | 7,600 | 0.1 | 300,000 | 2.4 |
| Total Private | 10,895,200 | 10,886,500 | 10,604,700 | 8,700 | 0.1 | 290,500 | 2.7 |
| Goods Producing | 1,962,700 | 1,955,600 | 1,882,500 | 7,100 | 0.4 | 80,200 | 4.3 |
| Mining and Logging | 253,700 | 254,800 | 252,000 | -1,100 | -0.4 | 1,700 | 0.7 |
| Construction | 795,600 | 788,400 | 743,600 | 7,200 | 0.9 | 52,000 | 7.0 |
| Manufacturing | 913,400 | 912,400 | 886,900 | 1,000 | 0.1 | 26,500 | 3.0 |
| Service Providing | 10,897,300 | 10,896,800 | 10,677,500 | 500 | 0.0 | 219,800 | 2.1 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,524,500 | 2,531,900 | 2,495,000 | -7,400 | -0.3 | 29,500 | 1.2 |
| Information | 200,800 | 201,900 | 204,400 | -1,100 | -0.5 | -3,600 | -1.8 |
| Financial Activities | 809,100 | 807,900 | 780,800 | 1,200 | 0.1 | 28,300 | 3.6 |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,785,000 | 1,775,400 | 1,746,700 | 9,600 | 0.5 | 38,300 | 2.2 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,753,500 | 1,751,700 | 1,704,700 | 1,800 | 0.1 | 48,800 | 2.9 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,407,100 | 1,409,300 | 1,354,700 | -2,200 | -0.2 | 52,400 | 3.9 |
| Other Services | 452,500 | 452,800 | 435,900 | -300 | -0.1 | 16,600 | 3.8 |
| Government | 1,964,800 | 1,965,900 | 1,955,300 | -1,100 | -0.1 | 9,500 | 0.5 |
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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.
