Maverick County 2014 Unemployment Rate Among Highest in Texas
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
According to the County Information Program of the Texas Association of Counties, Maverick County’s unemployment rate is among the highest in the State of Texas. Maverick County’s unemployment rate has been as high as 15.2% in 2009 and as low as 10.9% in 2014. The current rate of unemployment during the first quarter of 2015 increased back to 11.4%.
In 2014, the Maverick County unemployment rate was recorded at 10.9%, the lowest it has been in recent history but it still remained higher than 249 other counties in the State of Texas according to the Texas Workforce Commission Labor Force Statistics for Texas Counties. Texas has 254 counties.
Maverick County’s unemployment rate in 2014 was only lower than four other counties in the State of Texas. Only Starr County with a 13.5% unemployment rate, Zavala County with a 12.4 % unemployment rate, Willacy County with a 12.3% unemployment rate, and Presidio County with a 11.6 % unemployment rate had higher unemployment rates than Maverick County’s 10.9% unemployment rate in Texas during 2014. Maverick County had the fifth highest rate in 2014.
Four Texas counties including Maverick, Starr, Zavala and Presidio counties have among the highest unemployment rates in Texas on a yearly basis. Three of these four are on the Texas-Mexico border, including Maverick County.
In 2013, the Maverick County unemployment rate was at 12.4% and only six other counties in Texas had a higher unemployment rate. Only Zavala County with an unemployment rate of 14.3% , Willacy County with an unemployment rate of 15.6% , Starr County with an unemployment rate of 14.8%, Sabine County with an unemployment rate of 12.8% Presidio County with an unemployment rate of 12.7 % and Hale County with a rate of 13.2% had a higher unemployment rates than Maverick County, which came in with the seventh highest during 2013.
In 2012, the unemployment rate for Maverick County was at 12.5%, and there were only five other counties in the state with a higher unemployment rate than Maverick County. Zavala County had an unemployment rate of 13.5%, Willacy County had a rate of 15.8%, Starr County had a rate of 14.5% Sabine County had a rate of 14.5%, and Presidio County had a rate of13.2 %. Maverick County had the sixth highest unemployment rate during 2012.
In 2011, the unemployment rate for Maverick County was a staggering 14% and only six other counties had a higher unemployment rate than Maverick County. Zavala County had a 14 % unemployment rate, Willacy County had a rate of 16.5 %, Starr County had a rate of16.2%, Sabine County had a rate of15.7%, San Agustine County had a rate of 14.1%, Presidio County had a rate of 15.2 %. Maverick County had the seventh highest rate of unemployment in Texas during 2011.
In 2010, Maverick County did not fare well as its unemployment rate was at 15.2% and only three other counties had a higher unemployment rate than Maverick County. Starr County had an unemployment rate of 17.3%, Sabine County had a rate of 16.3%, and Presidio County had a rate of18.5%. Maverick County was the fourth highest in Texas during 2010.
In the four years reviewed by the Texas Workforce Commission Labor Force Statistics for Texas Counties during 2010 to 2014, four of the top five counties with the highest unemployment rates in Texas are located in close proximity to the Texas -Mexico border region, including Maverick County.
According to data compiled by The County Information Program of the Texas Association of Counties, the average wage per job saw a minimal pay increase of $2,833 from 2009 to 2013 in Maverick County.
In 2009, the average wage per job in Maverick County was $27,134 dollars. In 2010, it increased to $28,094, in 2011 it rose to $28,880, in 2012 it increased to $29,605, and in 2013 it was reported at $29,941.
In 2013, the average wage per job in Maverick County was only higher than 21 other counties in Texas.
Only Armstrong, Borden, Rains, Newton, Starr, Zavala, Motley, Mills, Menard, Marion , Lampasas, Foard, Dickens, Coke , San Saba, Red River, Throck Morton, Delta, Coleman, Real and Trinity counties had a lower average wage per job than Maverick County.
All of these counties have a smaller population than Maverick County. But Maverick County did have a greater tax rate than three of these counties, including Coke County with a tax rate of $0.50 per every $100, Marion County with a tax rate $0.44 per every $100, and Real County at $0.52 per every $100. However, Maverick County had a County tax rate of $0.55 per 100 valuation.
In comparison, Maverick County had a higher County tax rate at $0.55 cents per $100 valuation in 2013 while Val Verde County with a population of 50,000 had a tax rate of $0.46 per $100 valuation, Medina County with a population of 47,894 had a tax rate of $0.52 cents per $100 valuation, Nacogdoches County with a population of 65,190 had a tax rate of $0.50 per $100 valuation, and Hood County with a population of 53,921 had a tax rate of $0.38 per $100 valuation.
Under the property tax rates, Maverick County rates remained low for close to 14 years since 1998 to 2013 according to the data compiled by The County Information Program, Texas Association of Counties.
A review of the average yearly wage increase per job, clearly shows how the annual property tax rate increases for both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County governmental entities exceeded the average yearly wage increase of a worker in Maverick County during this period.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal’s review of these statistics found that the average annual wage increase of Maverick County workers is less than the annual tax rate increases from both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County. The typical Maverick County worker wage and salary increases are significantly lower than the annual tax rate increases of both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County, falling further behind each year on their financial status and wage increases.
