Nation’s Job Growth Rate Passes Texas’

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – The state gained 172,700 nonagricultural jobs from February 2015 to February 2016, an annual growth rate of 1.5 percent, lower than the nation’s growth rate of 1.9 percent. The nongovernment sector added 142,200 jobs, an annual growth rate of 1.4 percent compared with 2.2 percent for the nation’s private sector.

According to the Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 4.4 percent, the same rate as a year ago. The nation’s rate decreased from 5.5 to 4.9 percent.

All Texas industries except mining and logging and manufacturing had more jobs. Leisure and hospitality ranked first in job creation followed by education and health services, trade, and financial activities.

All Texas metro areas except Beaumont-Port Arthur, Wichita Falls, Longview, Midland, and Odessa had more jobs. Dallas-Plano-Irving ranked first in job creation, followed by College Station-Bryan, Austin-Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, El Paso, and Tyler.

The state’s actual unemployment rate was 4.3 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan, Lubbock, San Antonio-New Braunfels, and Dallas-Plano-Irving.