Date: April 19, 2019

Media Contact: Lisa Givens

Phone: 512-463-8556

Unemployment rate unchanged at 3.8 percent

AUSTIN ⎯ Growth in the Texas economy continued in March, with 22,600 seasonally adjusted nonfarm positions added over the month. Texas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains unchanged at 3.8 percent. March marked the 107th consecutive month of annual growth for total nonfarm employment. March also marks a historic moment for the Texas economy as the Civilian Labor Force reached a record high of over 14- million.

"Texas' economic miracle is a testament to the unmatched innovation of our Texas employers and their dedication to creating jobs and investing in communities across the state," said TWC Chair Ruth Ruggero Hughs. “The Texas economy offers employers access to a competitive workforce and provides job seekers with career options in a variety of growing Texas industries.”

Private sector employers added 262,300 jobs over the year. Private annual employment growth was at 2.5 percent in March and has held above 2.0 percent since October 2017.

Leisure and Hospitality added 8,600 jobs over the month, the most among major industries in Texas. This major industry has seen 104 consecutive months of over-the-year growth since August 2010.

"Our labor force is thriving, in fact, this month reached 14 million, the highest estimate since 1976. Through a dedication to skills training and a focus on career options, Texas' labor force remains one of the strongest in the nation," said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. "TWC is continually committed to developing innovative workforce programs and supporting Texas businesses with a skilled talent pipeline that is unmatched throughout the nation."

Construction industry employment grew over the month by 5,100 jobs in March while the annual growth rate moved up four-tenths of a percentage point to 3.9 percent. The Education and Health Services industry also increased over the month with 6,500 jobs added.

The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded March’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.1 percent, followed by the Odessa MSA which recorded at 2.5 for the second lowest rate. The Amarillo, Austin-Round Rock and College Station-Bryan MSAs tied for the third lowest rate of 2.7 percent.

"Year after year Texas ranks among the best places to work in the nation, not only because our economy continues to grow as companies covet our skilled workers but because of continuous investment in our economy," said TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Robert Thomas. "Today's news shows that our strong Texas economy is creating new and larger opportunities for millions of workers all across our great state."

Audio downloads with comments from Chair Hughs on the latest labor market data are available on the TWC webpage for recent press releases. 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 April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands) March 2019 February 2019 March 2018 C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate United States 162,823.0 156,441.0 6,382.0 3.9 162,793.0 156,167.0 6,625.0 4.1 161,548.0 154,877.0 6,671.0 4.1 Texas 14,059.6 13,564.9 494.7 3.5 14,086.9 13,538.0 548.9 3.9 13,818.7 13,262.6 556.1 4.0 Abilene 77.7 75.3 2.5 3.2 77.8 75.2 2.6 3.4 77.1 74.5 2.6 3.4 Amarillo 133.2 129.6 3.6 2.7 133.5 129.6 3.8 2.9 132.7 128.9 3.8 2.9 Austin-Round Rock 1,214.3 1,181.2 33.1 2.7 1,216.4 1,179.9 36.5 3.0 1,192.4 1,156.1 36.3 3.0 Beaumont-Port Arthur 177.2 167.8 9.3 5.3 178.6 168.0 10.6 5.9 176.0 164.6 11.4 6.5 Brownsville-Harlingen 166.9 157.8 9.1 5.5 167.4 156.9 10.5 6.3 167.8 157.1 10.7 6.4 College Station-Bryan 136.8 133.1 3.7 2.7 137.1 133.0 4.1 3.0 134.2 130.2 4.0 3.0 Corpus Christi 209.6 200.3 9.3 4.4 211.3 200.9 10.5 5.0 210.3 199.2 11.1 5.3 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 3,977.1 3,845.8 131.3 3.3 3,980.4 3,836.7 143.7 3.6 3,871.5 3,730.0 141.5 3.7 Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,691.0 2,602.5 88.5 3.3 2,695.3 2,597.9 97.4 3.6 2,610.8 2,515.0 95.8 3.7 Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,286.1 1,243.2 42.8 3.3 1,285.1 1,238.8 46.3 3.6 1,260.7 1,215.0 45.7 3.6 El Paso 364.7 350.6 14.2 3.9 366.7 350.9 15.9 4.3 360.7 344.9 15.8 4.4 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,434.1 3,305.4 128.7 3.7 3,447.2 3,302.7 144.5 4.2 3,385.5 3,233.3 152.2 4.5 Killeen-Temple 178.4 171.7 6.8 3.8 179.5 171.9 7.6 4.2 175.4 168.2 7.2 4.1 Laredo 118.5 114.0 4.5 3.8 119.0 114.0 5.0 4.2 116.4 111.9 4.5 3.9 Longview 97.3 93.6 3.7 3.8 98.5 94.5 4.0 4.1 98.3 94.1 4.2 4.3 Lubbock 164.3 159.2 5.1 3.1 164.3 159.3 5.1 3.1 162.9 157.2 5.6 3.5 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 355.8 335.5 20.3 5.7 357.3 333.4 24.0 6.7 352.5 328.9 23.7 6.7 Midland 107.3 105.0 2.2 2.1 107.5 105.1 2.4 2.2 102.3 100.0 2.3 2.3 Odessa 86.8 84.6 2.1 2.5 87.3 84.9 2.4 2.7 83.8 81.3 2.4 2.9 San Angelo 56.1 54.4 1.7 3.1 56.6 54.7 1.9 3.3 55.8 54.0 1.8 3.2 San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,208.4 1,170.8 37.6 3.1 1,209.3 1,167.8 41.5 3.4 1,186.1 1,145.8 40.2 3.4 Sherman-Denison 64.6 62.6 2.0 3.0 64.7 62.6 2.1 3.3 62.9 60.8 2.2 3.4 Texarkana 65.1 62.2 2.9 4.5 65.5 62.1 3.5 5.3 64.6 61.6 3.0 4.6 Tyler 108.3 104.6 3.6 3.4 108.7 104.7 4.0 3.7 106.3 102.4 3.9 3.7 Victoria 46.7 45.1 1.6 3.5 47.1 45.3 1.8 3.7 46.6 44.7 1.9 4.1 Waco 126.4 122.1 4.3 3.4 127.1 122.5 4.6 3.6 125.2 120.6 4.6 3.7 Wichita Falls 66.3 64.2 2.1 3.2 66.5 64.2 2.3 3.5 65.9 63.6 2.4 3.6

Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted INDUSTRY TITLE Mar 2019* Feb 2019 Mar 2018 Feb '19 to Mar '19 Mar '18 to Mar '19 Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change Total Nonagricultural 12,693,700 12,671,100 12,422,700 22,600 0.2 271,000 2.2 Total Private 10,734,800 10,714,200 10,472,500 20,600 0.2 262,300 2.5 Goods Producing 1,913,800 1,911,500 1,842,200 2,300 0.1 71,600 3.9 Mining and Logging 253,000 255,900 239,900 -2,900 -1.1 13,100 5.5 Construction 759,500 754,400 731,200 5,100 0.7 28,300 3.9 Manufacturing 901,300 901,200 871,100 100 0.0 30,200 3.5 Service Providing 10,779,900 10,759,600 10,580,500 20,300 0.2 199,400 1.9 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,509,400 2,510,800 2,473,000 -1,400 -0.1 36,400 1.5 Information 201,900 201,800 203,900 100 0.0 -2,000 -1.0 Financial Activities 789,600 787,900 773,200 1,700 0.2 16,400 2.1 Professional and Business Services 1,758,700 1,760,100 1,718,900 -1,400 -0.1 39,800 2.3 Education and Health Services 1,725,200 1,718,700 1,685,800 6,500 0.4 39,400 2.3 Leisure and Hospitality 1,389,300 1,380,700 1,344,900 8,600 0.6 44,400 3.3 Other Services 446,900 442,700 430,600 4,200 0.9 16,300 3.8 Government 1,958,900 1,956,900 1,950,200 2,000 0.1 8,700 0.4

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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.