AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas unemployment rate slipped to 6.4 percent for August.
The Texas Workforce Commission in Austin on Friday announced last month’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate compares to 6.5 percent in July. The nationwide jobless rate for August stands at 7.3 percent.
TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar says every major industry in the state has shown positive annual job growth and Texas employers added 274,700 jobs over the year.
Employers in mining and logging, which includes the energy industry, expanded their payrolls in August, adding 1,900 jobs to the industry, which has the highest annual growth rate among the major industries in Texas at 5.5 percent. “A number of industries are showing strength in Texas, including manufacturing, which grew by 2,600 jobs in August,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “Individuals looking for work in Texas should visit WorkInTexas.com to find new opportunities in our state.” The Fort Worth-Arlington MSA reported a 5.9 percent unemployment rate for August, down from July’s 6.3 and also down from the year earlier’s 6.7
The Dallas-Plano-Irving MSA reported a 6 percent unemployment rate, down from July’s 6.4 percent and better than August 2012’s 6.9 percent.
The Midland area had the lowest jobless rate last month in Texas at 3.2 percent. State workforce officials say the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area had the highest unemployment at 10.8 percent.
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Online:
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
Robert Francis of the Fort Worth Business Press contributed to this report.