Employers Add 17,600 Jobs in Texas; Unemployment rate down for fifth consecutive month
AUSTIN — The Texas economy saw positive job growth in December 2013 with the addition of 17,600 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm positions over the month. Over the year, employers added 252,400 jobs.
The state’s unemployment rate decreased for the fifth consecutive month, down to 6.0 percent in December. It remained below the national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.
“We continue to see growth across major industries in Texas, with all of them adding jobs over the year,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Andres Alcantar. “I encourage everyone who is looking for work in Texas to visit one of our local Workforce Solutions offices across the state.”
Over the month, nine out of 11 major industries in Texas added jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities expanded by 8,100 positions, more jobs added than any other major industry in Texas. This industry also added more jobs over the last year—68,200—than any other major industry, and had an annual growth rate of 3.1 percent.
“I’m glad to see expansion in Manufacturing, which added 6,600 jobs, and Construction which added another 3,400,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “Growth in these industries means more goods are being made in Texas and built in Texas, and that’s good news.”
Other industries that expanded over the month included Education and Health Services, with 4,400 added jobs; Information, which added 1,600 jobs; and Mining and Logging, which added 1,100 jobs.
“Our year certainly ended on a positive note, with private-sector employers adding 243,200 jobs over the year, and 18,900 jobs in December,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Hope Andrade. “It is another positive sign that Texas is a top choice for business!”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest December unemployment rate in the state at 2.8 percent. The Odessa MSA came in second at 3.4 percent and the Amarillo MSA third at 4.0 percent (not seasonally adjusted).
Audio downloads from TWC Commissioners on the latest labor market data* are available at: http://texasworkforce.org/news/press/2014/press-releases-2014.html#pressReleaseAudio.
*Please note: Due to TWC’s Austin office closure due to inclement weather on Jan. 24, the December preliminary estimates scheduled for release at 9:00 a.m. today will instead be released intermittently over the next two business days. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Please note that the unemployment estimates for the United States and Texas in this chart are “Not Seasonally Adjusted” for purposes of comparison to the “Not Seasonally Adjusted” Metropolitan Statistical Area data.
Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
December 2013 November 2013 December 2012
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 154,408.0 144,423.0 9,984.0 6.5 155,046.0 144,775.0 10,271.0 6.6 154,904.0 143,060.0 11,844.0 7.6
Texas 12,864.4 12,141.7 722.7 5.6 12,854.8 12,110.2 744.6 5.8 12,634.5 11,870.3 764.2 6.0
Abilene 85.7 82.0 3.7 4.4 85.8 81.9 3.9 4.5 84.3 80.4 3.9 4.7
Amarillo 135.4 130.0 5.4 4.0 135.7 130.1 5.6 4.1 133.5 127.8 5.7 4.3
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos 996.2 950.9 45.3 4.5 995.9 948.6 47.3 4.7 972.3 923.2 49.1 5.0
Beaumont-Port Arthur 189.3 172.3 17.0 9.0 189.7 172.4 17.3 9.1 188.6 169.9 18.7 9.9
Brownsville-Harlingen 164.8 149.2 15.6 9.5 164.6 148.9 15.7 9.5 162.7 146.6 16.1 9.9
College Station-Bryan 117.6 112.2 5.4 4.6 118.4 112.8 5.6 4.7 115.1 109.4 5.7 5.0
Corpus Christi 223.8 211.8 12.0 5.4 224.3 212.0 12.3 5.5 216.5 204.2 12.3 5.7
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 3,433.9 3,247.9 186.0 5.4 3,442.9 3,250.2 192.7 5.6 3,369.1 3,172.4 196.7 5.8
Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,285.5 2,160.3 125.2 5.5 2,289.8 2,160.2 129.6 5.7 2,245.9 2,113.3 132.6 5.9
Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,148.4 1,087.5 60.9 5.3 1,153.1 1,090.0 63.1 5.5 1,123.2 1,059.1 64.1 5.7
El Paso 322.4 296.8 25.6 8.0 323.0 296.5 26.5 8.2 323.8 296.2 27.6 8.5
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 3,131.6 2,960.5 171.1 5.5 3,127.7 2,951.0 176.7 5.6 3,055.6 2,873.0 182.6 6.0
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 172.8 161.7 11.1 6.4 172.4 161.0 11.4 6.6 169.4 158.1 11.3 6.7
Laredo 102.5 96.5 6.0 5.9 102.9 96.7 6.2 6.0 101.7 95.4 6.3 6.2
Longview 118.5 112.6 5.9 5.0 118.5 112.4 6.1 5.1 115.3 109.1 6.2 5.4
Lubbock 150.1 143.7 6.4 4.3 149.8 143.1 6.7 4.5 146.4 139.5 6.9 4.7
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 320.8 287.4 33.4 10.4 318.7 285.9 32.8 10.3 317.4 284.2 33.2 10.5
Midland 97.3 94.6 2.7 2.8 97.1 94.3 2.8 2.9 92.3 89.6 2.7 2.9
Odessa 89.1 86.1 3.0 3.4 89.1 86.0 3.1 3.5 85.6 82.6 3.0 3.5
San Angelo 57.4 54.9 2.5 4.4 57.2 54.6 2.6 4.6 56.4 53.8 2.6 4.6
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,028.9 973.9 55.0 5.3 1,028.7 971.5 57.2 5.6 1,024.7 966.1 58.6 5.7
Sherman-Denison 57.6 54.3 3.3 5.7 57.9 54.5 3.4 5.9 57.7 53.8 3.9 6.7
Texarkana 63.7 59.3 4.4 6.8 63.8 59.5 4.3 6.8 64.4 60.4 4.0 6.2
Tyler 103.7 97.7 6.0 5.8 103.9 97.6 6.3 6.1 102.4 95.9 6.5 6.3
Victoria 63.0 60.1 2.9 4.6 63.0 60.0 3.0 4.7 61.5 58.4 3.1 5.1
Waco 117.3 111.2 6.1 5.2 117.4 111.0 6.4 5.5 116.1 109.5 6.6 5.7
Wichita Falls 72.0 68.3 3.7 5.1 71.4 67.6 3.8 5.3 71.7 67.7 4.0 5.6
TEXAS NONAGRICULTURAL WAGE AND SALARY EMPLOYMENT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED+
Nov ’13 to Dec ’13 Dec ’12 to Dec ’13
INDUSTRY TITLE
Dec 2013* Nov 2013 Dec 2012 Absolute
Change Percent
Change Absolute
Change Percent
Change
Total Nonagricultural 11,277,100 11,259,500 11,024,700 17,600 0.2 252,400 2.3
Total Private 9,467,900 9,449,000 9,224,700 18,900 0.2 243,200 2.6
Goods Producing 1,778,700 1,767,600 1,739,900 11,100 0.6 38,800 2.2
Mining and Logging 289,600 288,500 276,800 1,100 0.4 12,800 4.6
Construction 611,100 607,700 597,600 3,400 0.6 13,500 2.3
Manufacturing 878,000 871,400 865,500 6,600 0.8 12,500 1.4
Service Providing 9,498,400 9,491,900 9,284,800 6,500 0.1 213,600 2.3
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,274,000 2,265,900 2,205,800 8,100 0.4 68,200 3.1
Information 205,800 204,200 196,300 1,600 0.8 9,500 4.8
Financial Activities 672,100 672,000 662,400 100 0.0 9,700 1.5
Professional and Business Services 1,492,100 1,499,800 1,431,900 -7,700 -0.5 60,200 4.2
Education and Health Services 1,512,200 1,507,800 1,486,200 4,400 0.3 26,000 1.7
Leisure and Hospitality 1,144,900 1,143,900 1,114,900 1,000 0.1 30,000 2.7
Other Services 388,100 387,800 387,300 300 0.1 800 0.2
Government 1,809,200 1,810,500 1,800,000 -1,300 -0.1 9,200 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.
