Texas added 80,900 jobs in July as the unemployment rate in the state dropped to 6.2 percent from 6.5 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reports.
Here in the Valley, the persistently high jobless numbers continued for another month, with the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area again reporting the state’s highest unemployment rate at 10.0 percent.
The Brownsville-Harlingen MSA was third-highest at 8.8 percent. Sandwiched between these two areas is Beaumont-Port Arthur at 9.8 percent.
Statewide in the past year a total of 714,800 jobs were added, with positive job growth recorded in 14 of the past 15 months.
In July, the Leisure and Hospitality industry continued to grow, adding 20,600 jobs. Professional and Business Services employment gained 11,500 jobs over the month. The Manufacturing industry category added 8,300 positions.
The Amarillo MSA recorded July’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 4.0 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock MSA at 4.2 percent and the Sherman-Denison MSA at 4.6 percent.
JULY STATISTICS
July 2021 June 2021 July 2020
Brn.-Harlingen 8.8 9.7 12.5
McAllen-Edin. 10.0 10.9 14.2
Corpus Christi 7.5 8.4 11.6
San Ant.-N. Braun. 5.4 5.3 9.3
Texas 6.2 6.5 9.6
U.S. 5.7 6.1 10.5
