Texas Jobless Rate Stays At 8.1 Percent In October
AUSTIN (AP) - The unemployment rate in Texas held steady at 8.1 percent in October as the state added 47,900 jobs, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday.
The latest increase in jobs pushed the number of positions added in the past year to 172,800 and the jobless rate matched the lowest of the year, according to commission figures.
Government rebounded sharply with an increase of 19,100 jobs after four straight months of job losses, including a revised September decrease of 11,000.
Construction employment had its biggest increase since April, with 8,800 new jobs, while education and health services added 5,400 jobs. Professional and business services saw an increase of 4,200 jobs.
"Texas employers displayed confidence by adding jobs in all industries in October, and the majority of industries are recording gains over the year as well," said Andres Alcantar, the agency's commissioner representing the public.
The Texas jobless rate continued to track below the national rate of 9.6 percent.
Unemployment rates are adjusted for seasonal trends in hiring and firing, which most economists believe give a more accurate picture of the job market. Without the seasonal adjustment, the state unemployment rate held steady from September at 7.9 percent.
Midland maintained the state's lowest metro unemployment rate at 5.1 percent for October, the same figure as September. The highest rate was still the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission region, at 11.3 percent, matching the revised September number. The local rates are not seasonally adjusted.
The following are the preliminary local jobless rates for October, with revised September numbers in parentheses:
Dallas-Plano-Irving 8.0 (7.9)
Fort Worth-Arlington 7.9 (7.8)
Sherman-Denison 8.1 (8.0)
Tyler 7.6 (7.3)
Wichita Falls 7.2 (7.2)
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