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Texas Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.9 Percent in August

Date: September 17, 2021

Media Contact: James Bernsen
Phone: 512-463-8556

State adds 39,300 jobs over the month

AUSTIN – In August, the seasonally adjusted Texas unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from July 2021. Texas added 39,300 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, making gains in 15 of the last 16 months. Texas added a total of 681,000 jobs since August 2020.

“The continued decrease in the unemployment rate and the positive job growth is good news for Texas,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “The demand for middle skills jobs -- those requiring less than a bachelor’s degree, but more than a high school diploma -- continues to grow and TWC is committed to ensuring the state's workforce has the tools needed to succeed in these high demand jobs.”

In August, the Professional and Business Services industry gained 29,600 jobs over the month. Education and Health Services employment added 17,800 positions. Also of note, Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 7,100 jobs.

“Our Texas workforce is resilient and opportunities to advance your career or start a new one continue to grow in our state,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “Thanks to TWC programs like skills training through Metrix Learning, Texans have access to over 5,000 free courses to learn or refine skills to land the new jobs created each month in Texas.”

The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded August’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.6 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock MSA at 3.8 percent and Abilene, College Station-Bryan and Sherman-Denison MSAs each at 4.2 percent.

“The continued job growth in Texas shows employers are resilient and have succeeded in navigating the unique challenges of running a business,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “To support our Texas employers, TWC has a number of programs that offer employers assistance in attracting and retaining skilled talent and customized training that keeps Texas a top destination to do business.”

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 TexasLMI.com.

The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for September is scheduled to be released on Friday, October 22, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
  August 2021 July 2021 August 2020
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 161,788.0 153,232.0 8,556.0 5.3 162,817.0 153,596.0 9,221.0 5.7 160,966.0 147,224.0 13,742.0 8.5
Texas 14,192.5 13,433.4 759.1 5.3 14,191.6 13,341.0 850.6 6.0 14,090.8 13,117.1 973.7 6.9
Abilene 79.8 76.5 3.3 4.2 80.0 76.2 3.7 4.7 79.0 75.2 3.8 4.8
Amarillo 134.8 129.9 4.9 3.6 134.2 128.8 5.4 4.0 133.5 128.2 5.3 4.0
Austin-Round Rock 1,290.5 1,241.8 48.7 3.8 1,289.8 1,235.2 54.5 4.2 1,255.8 1,187.0 68.8 5.5
Beaumont-Port Arthur 173.1 157.8 15.2 8.8 173.5 156.4 17.1 9.9 170.8 153.6 17.2 10.1
Brownsville-Harlingen 169.5 156.1 13.4 7.9 171.0 155.9 15.1 8.8 171.5 156.1 15.4 9.0
College Station-Bryan 129.4 123.9 5.5 4.2 129.7 123.4 6.2 4.8 130.5 124.3 6.3 4.8
Corpus Christi 203.7 189.8 13.9 6.8 204.4 189.0 15.4 7.5 203.7 186.8 16.9 8.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 4,094.7 3,901.7 193.0 4.7 4,082.4 3,865.5 216.9 5.3 4,025.0 3,773.2 251.8 6.3
   Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,776.1 2,647.3 128.8 4.6 2,769.9 2,625.2 144.7 5.2 2,718.4 2,549.8 168.6 6.2
   Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,318.6 1,254.5 64.1 4.9 1,312.5 1,240.3 72.2 5.5 1,306.6 1,223.4 83.2 6.4
El Paso 366.3 345.2 21.2 5.8 366.4 342.8 23.6 6.5 369.3 343.0 26.3 7.1
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,433.8 3,224.5 209.3 6.1 3,440.6 3,206.9 233.7 6.8 3,411.3 3,134.2 277.1 8.1
Killeen-Temple 180.5 170.8 9.7 5.4 180.9 170.1 10.8 6.0 180.1 169.4 10.7 5.9
Laredo 116.5 109.7 6.7 5.8 116.4 108.7 7.7 6.6 116.9 107.8 9.1 7.8
Longview 97.4 91.7 5.7 5.8 96.7 90.4 6.4 6.6 96.6 89.6 7.0 7.2
Lubbock 165.0 157.9 7.1 4.3 164.9 156.7 8.2 4.9 164.9 156.6 8.3 5.0
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 366.4 333.9 32.5 8.9 365.2 328.9 36.3 9.9 360.4 322.3 38.1 10.6
Midland 99.7 94.5 5.3 5.3 99.8 93.8 5.9 5.9 98.3 89.9 8.4 8.5
Odessa 78.1 72.1 6.0 7.7 78.4 71.7 6.8 8.7 80.9 71.4 9.5 11.7
San Angelo 54.5 52.0 2.5 4.5 54.5 51.7 2.8 5.1 55.0 51.9 3.1 5.6
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,223.5 1,164.3 59.2 4.8 1,228.0 1,162.0 66.0 5.4 1,210.8 1,131.6 79.2 6.5
Sherman-Denison 66.2 63.4 2.8 4.2 66.5 63.4 3.1 4.6 65.5 62.3 3.2 4.9
Texarkana 63.1 59.8 3.2 5.1 63.9 60.1 3.8 5.9 63.9 59.8 4.1 6.4
Tyler 113.5 108.2 5.3 4.7 113.4 107.5 5.9 5.2 110.0 103.6 6.4 5.9
Victoria 43.8 41.2 2.6 6.0 43.9 40.9 2.9 6.7 44.5 41.1 3.3 7.5
Waco 131.6 125.6 6.0 4.6 131.4 124.6 6.7 5.1 130.1 123.3 6.9 5.3
Wichita Falls 65.2 62.1 3.1 4.7 65.2 61.7 3.5 5.4 64.9 61.1 3.7 5.8
Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted
INDUSTRY TITLE Aug 2021* Jul 2020 Aug 2020 Jul'20 to Aug '21 Aug'20 to Aug '21
Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change
Total Nonagricultural 12,760,300  12,721,000  12,079,300  39,300  0.3    681,000  5.6     
Total Private 10,778,600  10,741,100  10,096,400  37,500  0.3    682,200  6.8     
Goods Producing 1,798,700  1,797,700  1,738,600  1,000  0.1    60,100  3.5     
   Mining and Logging 194,100  191,200  170,200  2,900  1.5    23,900  14.0     
   Construction 724,000  723,700  717,500  300  0.0    6,500  0.9     
   Manufacturing 880,600  882,800  850,900  -2,200  -0.2    29,700  3.5     
Service Providing 10,961,600  10,923,300  10,340,700  38,300  0.4    620,900  6.0     
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,582,400  2,575,300  2,459,400  7,100  0.3    123,000  5.0     
   Information 206,900  205,500  192,000  1,400  0.7    14,900  7.8     
   Financial Activities 831,600  829,900  798,100  1,700  0.2    33,500  4.2     
   Professional and Business Services 1,906,200  1,876,600  1,733,600  29,600  1.6    172,600  10.0     
   Education and Health Services 1,747,300  1,729,500  1,676,100  17,800  1.0    71,200  4.2     
   Leisure and Hospitality 1,288,200  1,313,800  1,112,900  -25,600  -1.9    175,300  15.8     
   Other Services 417,300  412,800  385,700  4,500  1.1    31,600  8.2     
   Government 1,981,700  1,979,900  1,982,900  1,800  0.1    -1,200  -0.1     

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The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.

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