AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas unemployment rate rose slightly in December to reach 3.9 percent.
The Texas Workforce Commission on Friday reported that compares to nationwide unemployment last month at 4.1 percent. The Texas jobless rate in November was 3.8 percent.
In the Fort Worth-Arlington MSA, the December unemployment rate was unchanged from November at 3.2 percent, but down from December 2016’s 3.8 percent. In the Dallas-Plano-Irving MSA the December unemployment rate was also unchanged from November at 3.1 percent, but down from 3.6 percent in December 2016.
Commission officials say the Amarillo and Midland areas had the lowest unemployment in Texas during December at 2.5 percent. The Beaumont-Port Arthur and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission areas had the state’s highest jobless rates last month at 6.7 percent.
A TWC statement says the Texas economy added 306,900 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs over the year, including 400 additional jobs in December. Annual employment growth for Texas was 2.5 percent in December, marking 92 consecutive months of annual growth.