AUSTIN — The Texas economy added 32,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in August, which marked 26 consecutive months of employment growth. Over the year, Texas added 394,500 jobs for an annual employment growth rate of 3.2 percent. Private-sector employers added 32,800 positions over the month. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent in August, down slightly from 4.0 in July 2018.
“We are encouraged to see the Texas economy continue to expand with private-sector employers adding 32,800 jobs in August and accounting for an impressive 390,100 jobs over the year,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chair Ruth Ruggero Hughs. “Texas’ world-class employers and highly-skilled workforce continues to demonstrate competitive advantages and provide marketplace opportunities that keep our state the best in the country to do business.”
August’s annual growth in the state’s Goods Producing industries was strong at 6.4 percent. Manufacturing led the three Goods Producing industries, adding 3,200 jobs followed by Mining and Logging with 2,700 jobs and Construction, which added 900 jobs over the month.
In Texas’ Service Providing sector, Professional and Business Services led all major industries and added 10,300 positions over the month. Also within this sector, Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 8,700 positions followed by Education and Health Services with a gain of 5,300 positions.
“The Texas labor force continues to provide employers with the skills and expertise needed to keep the Texas economy growing,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “TWC is continually committed to developing innovative workforce programs and supporting Texas businesses with a skilled talent pipeline that is unmatched throughout the nation.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.2 percent, followed by the Amarillo and Odessa MSAs with rates of 2.8 and 2.9 percent, respectively. The Austin-Round Rock MSA recorded the fourth lowest rate of 3.0 percent for August.
Audio downloads with comments from Chair Hughs 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 tracer2.com.
| Areas include Texas, U.S. and Metropolitan Divisions | August 2018 | July 2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 161,909.0 | 155,539.0 | 6,370.0 | 3.9% | 163,734.0 | 157,004.0 | 6,730.0 | 4.1% |
| Texas | 13,751.9 | 13,212.4 | 539.4 | 3.9% | 13,840.8 | 13,284.2 | 556.6 | 4.0% |
| Abilene | 76.0 | 73.4 | 2.6 | 3.5% | 76.5 | 73.8 | 2.7 | 3.5% |
| Amarillo | 132.2 | 128.4 | 3.7 | 2.8% | 133.2 | 129.3 | 3.9 | 2.9% |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,179.2 | 1,143.4 | 35.8 | 3.0% | 1,186.1 | 1,149.5 | 36.6 | 3.1% |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 171.2 | 160.4 | 10.7 | 6.3% | 172.3 | 161.4 | 10.9 | 6.3% |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 165.7 | 155.5 | 10.2 | 6.2% | 167.8 | 156.9 | 11.0 | 6.5% |
| College Station-Bryan | 127.2 | 123.0 | 4.2 | 3.3% | 129.3 | 125.0 | 4.3 | 3.3% |
| Corpus Christi | 205.2 | 194.9 | 10.3 | 5.0% | 206.5 | 195.8 | 10.7 | 5.2% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 3,894.8 | 3,756.2 | 138.6 | 3.6% | 3,919.2 | 3,776.7 | 142.4 | 3.6% |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,637.0 | 2,543.4 | 93.6 | 3.5% | 2,651.3 | 2,555.2 | 96.1 | 3.6% |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,257.8 | 1,212.8 | 45.0 | 3.6% | 1,267.9 | 1,221.6 | 46.3 | 3.7% |
| El Paso | 356.3 | 340.8 | 15.6 | 4.4% | 358.2 | 342.4 | 15.8 | 4.4% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,393.7 | 3,247.1 | 146.6 | 4.3% | 3,418.9 | 3,268.5 | 150.4 | 4.4% |
| Killeen-Temple | 177.9 | 170.5 | 7.4 | 4.1% | 178.2 | 170.7 | 7.5 | 4.2% |
| Laredo | 114.4 | 110.1 | 4.3 | 3.8% | 115.2 | 110.6 | 4.6 | 4.0% |
| Longview | 95.9 | 91.9 | 4.0 | 4.2% | 96.7 | 92.6 | 4.1 | 4.3% |
| Lubbock | 164.6 | 159.4 | 5.2 | 3.2% | 165.1 | 159.4 | 5.7 | 3.4% |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 339.3 | 316.8 | 22.5 | 6.6% | 340.7 | 317.0 | 23.7 | 7.0% |
| Midland | 100.2 | 98.0 | 2.3 | 2.2% | 100.7 | 98.5 | 2.3 | 2.2% |
| Odessa | 80.0 | 77.7 | 2.3 | 2.9% | 80.6 | 78.3 | 2.4 | 2.9% |
| San Angelo | 55.1 | 53.3 | 1.8 | 3.3% | 55.1 | 53.3 | 1.9 | 3.4% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,174.1 | 1,133.6 | 40.5 | 3.5% | 1,183.1 | 1,141.7 | 41.4 | 3.5% |
| Sherman-Denison | 63.5 | 61.4 | 2.1 | 3.2% | 64.0 | 61.9 | 2.1 | 3.3% |
| Texarkana | 64.3 | 61.1 | 3.2 | 5.0% | 65.3 | 61.8 | 3.5 | 5.3% |
| Tyler | 108.7 | 104.7 | 4.0 | 3.7% | 109.2 | 105.2 | 4.0 | 3.7% |
| Victoria | 44.8 | 43.0 | 1.8 | 4.0% | 45.1 | 43.3 | 1.8 | 4.1% |
| Waco | 125.5 | 121.0 | 4.6 | 3.7% | 126.5 | 121.5 | 4.9 | 3.9% |
| Wichita Falls | 64.8 | 62.6 | 2.2 | 3.4% | 65.5 | 63.1 | 2.4 | 3.7% |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Aug 2018* | Jul 2018 | Aug 2017 | Jul ’18 to Aug ’18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 12,626,500 | 12,594,500 | 12,232,000 | 32,000 | 0.3% |
| Total Private | 10,684,400 | 10,651,600 | 10,294,300 | 32,800 | 0.3% |
| Goods Producing | 1,904,900 | 1,898,100 | 1,791,100 | 6,800 | 0.4% |
| Mining and Logging | 260,400 | 257,700 | 226,100 | 2,700 | 1.0% |
| Construction | 766,000 | 765,100 | 709,900 | 900 | 0.1% |
| Manufacturing | 878,500 | 875,300 | 855,100 | 3,200 | 0.4% |
| Service Providing | 10,721,600 | 10,696,400 | 10,440,900 | 25,200 | 0.2% |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,525,600 | 2,516,900 | 2,459,400 | 8,700 | 0.3% |
| Information | 196,000 | 196,900 | 201,600 | -900 | -0.5% |
| Financial Activities | 775,200 | 775,000 | 759,200 | 200 | 0.0% |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,761,700 | 1,751,400 | 1,669,300 | 10,300 | 0.6% |
| Education and Health Services | 1,712,200 | 1,706,900 | 1,666,500 | 5,300 | 0.3% |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,372,100 | 1,369,200 | 1,323,100 | 2,900 | 0.2% |
| Other Services | 436,700 | 437,200 | 424,100 | -500 | -0.1% |
| Government | 1,942,100 | 1,942,900 | 1,937,700 | -800 | 0.0% |
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