State jobless rate rises, but all-time records are still set

The Texas unemployment rate edged slightly higher in August, adding a total of 16,400 non-farm jobs, the 10th consecutive month the state has set a new total employment record.

“Thanks to the strength of the Texas economy and the best workforce in America, Texas has surpassed three major employment milestones, smashing all previous records with more jobs than ever, more Texans working than ever, and the largest labor force ever in the state’s history,” said Gov. Greg Abbott.

“While the nation faces economic headwinds, Texas leads all states for nonfarm jobs added over the last 12 months ― a testament to continuing business confidence in the Lone Star State’s pro-growth economic policies and the unrivaled quality of our young, skilled, diverse, and growing workforce,” Abbott added. “Working together, we will keep Texas the best place to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.”

August jobs data shows Texas set these new employment records:

>> New record for total non-farm jobs at 13,530,100 as employers added 16,400 non-farm jobs over the month.

>> New record for total employed at more than 14 million, including non-farm, self-employed and other job categories.

>> New record for total labor force at nearly 14.6 million, with the Texas labor force participation rate above the national average at 63.8 percent.

Despite those numbers, the Texas jobless rate ticked up by 0.1 percent compared to July and currently stands at 4.1 percent. That was the first monthly increase in the state jobless rate since April 2020.

Here in the Valley, improvements were more pronounced, with the Harlingen-Brownsville Metropolitan Statistical Area jobless rate dropping to 6.4 percent from 6.8 percent in July.

The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA unemployment rate dropped from 8.0 percent in July to 7.7 percent in August. Both Valley MSAs have consistently ranked among the highest for joblessness for more than a year.

The Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock MSA recorded August’s lowest unemployment rates among Texas MSAs with 3.0 percent each, followed by Midland at 3.3 percent, then Abilene, College Station-Bryan, Lubbock and San Angelo, all at 3.5 percent.

The national unemployment rate is 3.8 percent.