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Texas Unemployment Rate falls to 6.7 percent

Date: May 21, 2021

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

State adds 13,000 jobs over the month

AUSTIN ⎯ In April, the seasonally adjusted Texas unemployment rate was 6.7 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from March 2021. Texas added 13,000 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, making gains in 11 of the last 12 months. Texas added 1,007,100 jobs over the year after shedding 1,452,600 jobs in March and April 2020 due to COVID-19 and measures taken to slow its spread.

“The decrease in the unemployment rate in Texas shows continued strength of our economy,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “TWC will continue our commitment to helping Texans find jobs through career fairs and hiring events at local workforce development boards along with job matching services through MyTXCareer.com.” 

In April, the Leisure and Hospitality industry added 14,100 jobs, growing annually at 46.1 percent. Government employment increased by 11,300 positions. The Professional and Business Services industry followed with a gain of 8,300 jobs.

“This month continues to show job growth and career opportunities for Texans as the economy strengthens,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “We’re encouraged by the increases, especially in the leisure and hospitality industries, and will continue to work through programs like skills development grants to promote job growth in all industries.”

The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded April’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 4.0 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock MSA at 4.5 percent and College Station-Bryan MSA at 4.6 percent.

“Texas employers continue to show resilience and perseverance and are excited about getting Texans back to work,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “TWC is committed to providing Texas employers with innovative programs like the Texas Restaurant Recovery Initiative, which will assist this vital industry in many ways, including adapting to new service delivery trends and learning new ways to increase profitability while providing safe and efficient customer service.”

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 May is scheduled to be released on Friday, June18, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
  April 2021 March 2021 April 2020
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 160,379.0 151,160.0 9,220.0 5.7 160,398.0 150,493.0 9,905.0 6.2 155,830.0 133,326.0 22,504.0 14.4
Texas 14,043.9 13,162.6 881.3 6.3 14,094.1 13,087.2 1,007.0 7.1 13,326.3 11,627.6 1,698.7 12.7
Abilene 78.6 74.9 3.8 4.8 79.0 74.5 4.5 5.8 73.0 66.6 6.4 8.7
Amarillo 132.9 127.5 5.4 4.0 133.8 127.3 6.5 4.8 121.8 111.4 10.4 8.5
Austin-Round Rock 1,268.4 1,211.0 57.4 4.5 1,267.3 1,200.0 67.3 5.3 1,173.4 1,034.7 138.7 11.8
Beaumont-Port Arthur 172.6 155.5 17.2 9.9 173.4 154.7 18.7 10.8 167.5 138.3 29.2 17.4
Brownsville-Harlingen 169.8 154.3 15.5 9.1 170.9 153.8 17.0 10.0 162.4 136.1 26.2 16.2
College Station-Bryan 132.2 126.1 6.1 4.6 135.1 128.0 7.1 5.2 123.3 112.4 11.0 8.9
Corpus Christi 202.2 186.2 16.0 7.9 202.9 185.1 17.9 8.8 195.2 166.0 29.2 15.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 4,018.7 3,791.5 227.2 5.7 4,025.4 3,763.1 262.3 6.5 3,780.6 3,307.1 473.5 12.5
   Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,713.5 2,562.1 151.5 5.6 2,717.6 2,543.5 174.1 6.4 2,550.6 2,233.2 317.4 12.4
   Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,305.2 1,229.4 75.8 5.8 1,307.8 1,219.6 88.2 6.7 1,230.0 1,073.9 156.1 12.7
El Paso 366.5 341.3 25.2 6.9 367.7 339.1 28.6 7.8 349.7 299.7 50.0 14.3
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,396.6 3,155.9 240.7 7.1 3,395.9 3,124.9 271.0 8.0 3,278.8 2,819.6 459.2 14.0
Killeen-Temple 179.2 168.5 10.7 6.0 178.7 166.1 12.6 7.0 169.8 151.3 18.5 10.9
Laredo 114.7 106.6 8.1 7.0 115.8 106.6 9.2 7.9 109.9 95.5 14.4 13.1
Longview 95.8 89.2 6.6 6.9 96.2 88.7 7.5 7.8 92.3 81.4 10.9 11.8
Lubbock 163.5 155.5 8.0 4.9 164.0 154.5 9.5 5.8 151.0 136.5 14.5 9.6
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 364.5 326.8 37.7 10.3 365.3 324.7 40.7 11.1 347.4 286.7 60.7 17.5
Midland 98.2 91.5 6.6 6.8 97.7 90.3 7.4 7.6 98.0 88.0 10.0 10.2
Odessa 78.7 70.9 7.8 9.9 79.4 70.7 8.7 10.9 81.2 70.2 11.0 13.5
San Angelo 54.5 51.6 2.9 5.2 54.8 51.5 3.3 6.0 51.8 46.6 5.1 9.9
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,215.4 1,147.6 67.8 5.6 1,217.7 1,138.7 79.0 6.5 1,132.1 983.8 148.3 13.1
Sherman-Denison 64.9 61.8 3.1 4.8 65.3 61.6 3.7 5.7 60.2 54.2 6.1 10.1
Texarkana 63.9 60.2 3.7 5.7 63.8 59.7 4.2 6.6 61.7 53.5 8.2 13.3
Tyler 110.1 103.9 6.2 5.6 110.3 103.2 7.1 6.4 103.0 91.0 12.0 11.7
Victoria 43.9 40.8 3.1 7.0 44.2 40.7 3.5 7.9 43.0 37.1 5.9 13.8
Waco 129.3 122.6 6.6 5.1 130.1 122.2 7.9 6.1 119.0 106.9 12.1 10.1
Wichita Falls 63.8 60.2 3.5 5.5 64.0 59.8 4.2 6.6 61.2 54.7 6.5 10.6
Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted
INDUSTRY TITLE Apr 2021* Mar 2021 Apr 2020 Mar '21 to Apr '21 Apr '20 to Apr '21
Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change
Total Nonagricultural 12,524,500  12,511,500  11,517,400  13,000  0.1    1,007,100  8.7     
Total Private 10,559,700  10,558,000  9,568,100  1,700  0.0    991,600  10.4     
Goods Producing 1,788,800  1,806,300  1,784,800  -17,500  -1.0    4,000  0.2     
   Mining and Logging 184,100  186,900  208,600  -2,800  -1.5    -24,500  -11.7     
   Construction 735,900  749,500  721,000  -13,600  -1.8    14,900  2.1     
   Manufacturing 868,800  869,900  855,200  -1,100  -0.1    13,600  1.6     
Service Providing 10,735,700  10,705,200  9,732,600  30,500  0.3    1,003,100  10.3     
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,550,400  2,553,400  2,327,600  -3,000  -0.1    222,800  9.6     
   Information 201,100  201,500  191,500  -400  -0.2    9,600  5.0     
   Financial Activities 826,100  825,800  793,400  300  0.0    32,700  4.1     
   Professional and Business Services 1,830,700  1,822,400  1,677,800  8,300  0.5    152,900  9.1     
   Education and Health Services 1,712,100  1,712,700  1,599,000  -600  0.0    113,100  7.1     
   Leisure and Hospitality 1,247,600  1,233,500  854,200  14,100  1.1    393,400  46.1     
   Other Services 402,900  402,400  339,800  500  0.1    63,100  18.6     
   Government 1,964,800  1,953,500  1,949,300  11,300  0.6    15,500  0.8     

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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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