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Texas Unemployment Rate Falls to 6.8 Percent in January

Date: March 12, 2021

Media Contact: Cisco Gamez
Phone: 512-463-8556

Job Growth Hits Nine Consecutive Months

AUSTIN - Texas added 30,800 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, marking the ninth consecutive month of job growth. Private sector employment moved in the same direction with an increase of 32,600 positions for the month. The Texas unemployment rate for January 2021 was 6.8 percent, down from 6.9 percent in December 2020.

"The continued job growth in January is a promising sign for our economic recovery," said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. "TWC continues to provide opportunities for Texans to enhance job skills or to find a new job at MyTxCareer.com."

In January, the Professional and Business Services industry added 12,800 jobs. Financial Activities added 8,400 jobs, Construction added 3,000 jobs and Leisure and Hospitality added 2,900 jobs.

"This month continues to show increased job growth and emphasizes the need for skilled workers in Texas" said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. "TWC is proud to help all workers sharpen their skills through programs like Metrix online learning, which is available free to all Texans."

The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded January’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 4.9 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock MSA with the second lowest rate of 5.4 percent. The College Station-Bryan MSA recorded the third lowest rate of 5.6 percent.

"Texas employers continue to show astounding resilience in getting Texans back to work," said Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. "As Texas re-opens to 100%, my office will continue to be a frontline resource for Texas employers, providing them with the best information and tools available to assist with operating their businesses proficiently."

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 February is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
  January 2021 December 2020 January 2020
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 159,234.0 148,383.0 10,851.0 6.8 160,017.0 149,613.0 10,404.0 6.5 163,497.0 156,994.0 6,504.0 4.0
Texas 14,027.8 13,000.1 1,027.8 7.3 14,139.9 13,191.3 948.6 6.7 14,161.1 13,634.7 526.4 3.7
Abilene 78.2 73.7 4.4 5.7 78.8 74.8 4.0 5.0 79.6 77.1 2.4 3.1
Amarillo 132.4 125.8 6.5 4.9 133.6 127.7 5.9 4.4 133.1 129.6 3.5 2.6
Austin-Round Rock 1,258.6 1,191.1 67.5 5.4 1,264.3 1,202.6 61.7 4.9 1,262.2 1,227.8 34.5 2.7
Beaumont-Port Arthur 171.7 151.8 19.9 11.6 172.5 154.6 17.9 10.4 173.8 163.5 10.4 6.0
Brownsville-Harlingen 169.9 152.0 17.9 10.5 169.9 153.8 16.1 9.5 170.5 160.0 10.5 6.2
College Station-Bryan 132.1 124.8 7.3 5.6 133.7 127.1 6.6 4.9 135.6 131.7 3.9 2.9
Corpus Christi 200.0 181.6 18.4 9.2 201.2 184.2 17.0 8.4 204.2 194.5 9.7 4.8
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 4,028.6 3,765.4 263.2 6.5 4,068.0 3,825.7 242.3 6.0 4,022.1 3,890.6 131.5 3.3
   Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,720.2 2,544.8 175.4 6.4 2,742.9 2,581.4 161.6 5.9 2,712.4 2,624.1 88.2 3.3
   Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,308.4 1,220.6 87.8 6.7 1,325.0 1,244.3 80.7 6.1 1,309.8 1,266.5 43.3 3.3
El Paso 369.5 339.8 29.7 8.0 371.6 343.9 27.7 7.4 367.6 353.0 14.5 3.9
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,371.6 3,093.4 278.2 8.3 3,409.0 3,148.5 260.5 7.6 3,455.4 3,315.5 140.0 4.1
Killeen-Temple 178.6 166.1 12.5 7.0 179.9 168.6 11.2 6.2 178.6 171.8 6.9 3.8
Laredo 115.9 106.2 9.7 8.4 116.2 107.3 8.9 7.7 119.3 114.5 4.8 4.1
Longview 96.1 88.3 7.8 8.1 96.3 89.0 7.3 7.5 98.6 94.5 4.1 4.2
Lubbock 163.5 154.1 9.4 5.8 164.4 156.0 8.5 5.1 163.4 158.7 4.7 2.9
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 364.6 321.3 43.3 11.9 363.9 324.3 39.6 10.9 361.7 334.5 27.2 7.5
Midland 97.7 89.7 8.1 8.2 98.8 90.8 7.9 8.0 109.3 106.7 2.6 2.4
Odessa 79.7 70.3 9.4 11.8 80.8 71.4 9.4 11.6 87.3 84.3 3.0 3.4
San Angelo 54.3 50.8 3.5 6.4 54.8 51.6 3.2 5.9 55.5 53.7 1.7 3.1
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,205.8 1,126.0 79.8 6.6 1,218.5 1,145.1 73.4 6.0 1,208.6 1,169.7 38.9 3.2
Sherman-Denison 64.8 61.1 3.7 5.7 65.6 62.2 3.4 5.1 64.8 62.7 2.1 3.3
Texarkana 63.6 59.4 4.2 6.6 64.0 60.3 3.8 5.9 64.4 61.5 2.8 4.4
Tyler 109.3 102.1 7.3 6.7 110.4 103.9 6.5 5.9 108.8 104.9 3.8 3.5
Victoria 44.2 40.6 3.7 8.3 44.7 41.4 3.4 7.5 45.3 43.5 1.8 3.9
Waco 129.0 121.1 7.9 6.1 129.4 122.2 7.2 5.6 126.5 122.2 4.3 3.4
Wichita Falls 64.0 59.6 4.4 6.9 64.8 60.7 4.1 6.4 65.0 62.8 2.1 3.2
Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted
INDUSTRY TITLE Jan 2021* Dec 2020 Jan 2020 Dec '20 to Jan '21 Jan '20 to Jan '21
Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change
Total Nonagricultural 12,396,000  12,365,200  12,956,200  30,800  0.2    -560,200  -4.3     
Total Private 10,436,700  10,404,100  10,956,800  32,600  0.3    -520,100  -4.7     
Goods Producing 1,762,200  1,759,100  1,924,500  3,100  0.2    -162,300  -8.4     
   Mining and Logging 177,900  175,100  234,400  2,800  1.6    -56,500  -24.1     
   Construction 728,800  725,800  778,500  3,000  0.4    -49,700  -6.4     
   Manufacturing 855,500  858,200  911,600  -2,700  -0.3    -56,100  -6.2     
Service Providing 10,633,800  10,606,100  11,031,700  27,700  0.3    -397,900  -3.6     
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,515,900  2,514,700  2,537,000  1,200  0.0    -21,100  -0.8     
   Information 199,000  198,200  212,300  800  0.4    -13,300  -6.3     
   Financial Activities 815,400  807,000  816,300  8,400  1.0    -900  -0.1     
   Professional and Business Services 1,820,600  1,807,800  1,826,600  12,800  0.7    -6,000  -0.3     
   Education and Health Services 1,705,100  1,703,000  1,772,700  2,100  0.1    -67,600  -3.8     
   Leisure and Hospitality 1,217,400  1,214,500  1,415,100  2,900  0.2    -197,700  -14.0     
   Other Services 401,100  399,800  452,300  1,300  0.3    -51,200  -11.3     
   Government 1,959,300  1,961,100  1,999,400  -1,800  -0.1    -40,100  -2.0     

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