Date: November 17, 2017

Media Contact: Lisa Givens

Phone: 512-463-8556

AUSTIN ⎯ The Texas economy added 71,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in October. Annual employment growth for Texas was 2.6 percent in October, marking 90 consecutive months of annual growth. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent, setting a record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in four decades.

“By adding an impressive 71,500 jobs over the past month and 316,100 jobs over the year, Texas employers have once again demonstrated their unmatched innovation and ability to achieve success in our country’s premier place to do business,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “This economy provides valuable opportunities for the highly skilled Texas workforce to also achieve success.”

Leisure and Hospitality employment rebounded by adding 34,700 jobs in October after experiencing its largest monthly decline in September due to hurricane-affected business closures. Over the year, this industry has gained 41,000 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment grew by 10,300 jobs, and Professional and Business Services expanded by 6,300 jobs.

“Private-sector employers added 64,100 jobs in October and have accounted for the addition of 279,300 positions in Texas over the past year as the state has continued to expand its employment,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “I invite Texas employers to participate in the We Hire Vets recognition program to recognize them for their commitment to hiring our nation’s heroes.”

The Amarillo and Midland Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.4 percent, followed by the College Station-Bryan MSA with a rate of 2.5 percent. The Austin-Round Rock and Lubbock MSAs registered a rate of 2.6 percent for October.

“Several Goods Producing industries are showing strength in Texas, including Construction, which expanded by 4,500 jobs in October” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “In recognition of Texas Apprenticeship Week this week, I encourage our labor force to tap into TWC’s apprenticeship training program that can help prepare them for a well-paying career.”

Audio downloads with comments from Commissioner Hughs on the latest labor market data are available on the TWC website press release page. 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 tracer2.com.

The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for November is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 22, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands) October 2017 September 2017 October 2016 C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate United States 160,465.0 154,223.0 6,242.0 3.9 161,049.0 154,494.0 6,556.0 4.1 159,783.0 152,335.0 7,447.0 4.7 Texas 13,392.3 12,922.1 470.2 3.5 13,498.7 12,954.8 543.9 4.0 13,338.7 12,725.9 612.9 4.6 Abilene 74.1 71.8 2.3 3.1 74.6 72.0 2.6 3.5 75.0 72.0 3.0 4.0 Amarillo 131.4 128.3 3.2 2.4 131.9 128.3 3.6 2.7 131.3 127.0 4.3 3.3 Austin-Round Rock 1,133.5 1,104.3 29.3 2.6 1,141.4 1,108.2 33.2 2.9 1,123.1 1,085.8 37.3 3.3 Beaumont-Port Arthur 171.3 160.5 10.8 6.3 174.2 159.9 14.3 8.2 173.8 162.3 11.6 6.7 Brownsville-Harlingen 163.3 154.4 8.9 5.5 165.8 155.2 10.6 6.4 165.4 154.0 11.4 6.9 College Station-Bryan 131.3 128.0 3.3 2.5 130.4 126.6 3.8 2.9 128.6 124.1 4.5 3.5 Corpus Christi 208.9 198.2 10.6 5.1 210.3 197.8 12.5 5.9 205.3 192.9 12.4 6.1 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 3,768.4 3,655.3 113.1 3.0 3,804.8 3,676.9 127.9 3.4 3,720.3 3,577.8 142.5 3.8 Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,543.3 2,467.1 76.2 3.0 2,566.5 2,480.6 85.9 3.3 2,508.8 2,414.3 94.5 3.8 Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,225.2 1,188.2 36.9 3.0 1,238.3 1,196.4 41.9 3.4 1,211.5 1,163.5 48.0 4.0 El Paso 355.9 342.4 13.5 3.8 360.3 345.1 15.2 4.2 354.0 336.4 17.6 5.0 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,290.4 3,155.1 135.3 4.1 3,311.0 3,151.1 159.9 4.8 3,293.8 3,118.3 175.5 5.3 Killeen-Temple 178.6 172.5 6.1 3.4 179.8 172.9 6.8 3.8 176.5 168.7 7.9 4.4 Laredo 113.4 109.7 3.7 3.2 114.6 110.4 4.1 3.6 114.3 109.0 5.3 4.6 Longview 96.9 93.0 3.9 4.0 97.6 93.1 4.4 4.5 98.3 92.2 6.1 6.2 Lubbock 158.8 154.7 4.1 2.6 159.9 155.2 4.7 2.9 158.6 153.3 5.3 3.3 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 332.6 313.8 18.8 5.7 335.7 312.8 22.9 6.8 332.7 309.0 23.7 7.1 Midland 86.2 84.2 2.1 2.4 87.5 85.1 2.5 2.8 86.4 82.7 3.7 4.3 Odessa 74.3 71.9 2.4 3.2 75.0 72.2 2.8 3.7 75.3 70.6 4.7 6.2 San Angelo 53.9 52.3 1.6 2.9 53.8 52.0 1.8 3.3 54.5 52.1 2.4 4.5 San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,157.8 1,124.7 33.1 2.9 1,168.8 1,131.2 37.6 3.2 1,141.5 1,098.1 43.4 3.8 Sherman-Denison 60.8 59.0 1.7 2.9 61.6 59.6 2.0 3.2 60.9 58.6 2.3 3.8 Texarkana 64.7 62.2 2.5 3.8 64.9 62.2 2.7 4.2 65.2 62.2 3.0 4.5 Tyler 107.6 103.4 4.2 3.9 107.6 103.6 4.0 3.7 106.8 102.0 4.9 4.5 Victoria 46.5 44.6 1.9 4.0 47.0 44.8 2.2 4.6 47.3 44.7 2.6 5.5 Waco 120.6 116.5 4.0 3.3 122.4 117.8 4.6 3.8 122.4 117.4 4.9 4.0 Wichita Falls 63.1 61.2 1.9 3.0 63.3 61.2 2.2 3.4 63.5 60.8 2.7 4.3

Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted INDUSTRY TITLE Oct 2017* Sep 2017 Oct 2016 Sep '17 to Oct '17 Oct '16 to Oct '17 Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change Total Nonagricultural 12,394,900 12,323,400 12,078,800 71,500 0.6 316,100 2.6 Total Private 10,423,900 10,359,800 10,144,600 64,100 0.6 279,300 2.8 Goods Producing 1,847,900 1,841,100 1,758,500 6,800 0.4 89,400 5.1 Mining and Logging 250,700 247,500 214,300 3,200 1.3 36,400 17.0 Construction 720,400 715,900 703,200 4,500 0.6 17,200 2.4 Manufacturing 876,800 877,700 841,000 -900 -0.1 35,800 4.3 Service Providing 10,547,000 10,482,300 10,320,300 64,700 0.6 226,700 2.2 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,458,500 2,448,200 2,428,500 10,300 0.4 30,000 1.2 Information 189,900 191,200 200,600 -1,300 -0.7 -10,700 -5.3 Financial Activities 765,200 762,200 738,300 3,000 0.4 26,900 3.6 Professional and Business Services 1,685,900 1,679,600 1,635,900 6,300 0.4 50,000 3.1 Education and Health Services 1,682,500 1,680,500 1,649,000 2,000 0.1 33,500 2.0 Leisure and Hospitality 1,345,600 1,310,900 1,304,600 34,700 2.6 41,000 3.1 Other Services 448,400 446,100 429,200 2,300 0.5 19,200 4.5 Government 1,971,000 1,963,600 1,934,200 7,400 0.4 36,800 1.9

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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.