AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The statewide unemployment rate declined slightly in November to settle at 4.6 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday.
Texas had an October jobless rate of 4.7 percent. The nationwide jobless rate for November also stood at 4.6 percent.
The Amarillo, Austin-Round Rock and Lubbock areas all had the lowest unemployment rates in Texas last month at 3.0 percent, according to a commission statement. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area had the state’s highest jobless figure for November at 7.1 percent.
Texas has added jobs in 19 of the past 20 months, with an estimated 210,800 seasonally adjusted jobs added over the past year. The changes included the addition of 20,900 nonfarm jobs in November.
In the Fort Worth-Arlington area, the unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in November, down from 3.8 percent in October and 4.1 percent from a year earlier. In the Dallas-Plano-Irving area, the unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, down from 3.6 in October and 3.8 percent a year earlier.
“I am encouraged by our state’s continued job growth, with Texas employers adding jobs in nine of 11 industries over the past year,” said Andres Alcantar, TWC chairman. “TWC will continue to focus on the workforce needs of our diverse industries and build education and training partnerships that support jobs created by Texas employers.”
The leisure and hospitality industry recorded the largest private-industry employment gain over the month with 5,700 jobs added. Education and health services employment grew by 4,700 jobs in November, according to TWC officials. Construction employment in Texas expanded by 2,500 jobs. – FWBP Staff contributed to this report.
___
Online:
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/