The state added 33,600 jobs in November to reach another all-time employment record of 13,672,900, Texas Workforce Commission officials said.
The seasonally adjusted state jobless rate stood at 4 percent, unchanged from October.
“Despite this, the civilian labor force increased by 2,300 person while the unemployed dropped by 10,400 over the month,” said Gilbert Guzman, manager of the economic analysis unit for TWC’s Labor Market Information Department.
“Total non-farm employment grew by 33,600 positions as the state reached a 13th consecutive employment high with 13,672,900 jobs for November,” Guzman said in a press briefing Friday. “This also marked one year since Texas surpassed the pre-COVID employment level.”
In the Rio Grande Valley, the Brownsville-Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area’s jobless rate rose to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent in October, while the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA rose to 6.4 percent from 6.1 percent the previous month.
Statewide, Leisure and Hospitality led the way, showing strong growth for the third straight month, adding 20,200 jobs in November, Guzman said.
“Followed by Education and Health Services, with a gain of 5,400 positions,” Guzman said. “Trailing was Mining and Logging, as industry employment continued to rebound with a November entry of 3,800 jobs.”
The Amarillo, Austin-Round Rock and Midland MSAs recorded the lowest unemployment rates at 2.8 percent each in November, followed by College Station-Bryan and Lubbock at 3.1 percent each, and Abilene and San Angelo, both at 3.2 percent.
The highest rates in the state were McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, followed by Beaumont-Port Arthur (6.0 percent) and Brownsville-Harlingen.
