Houston unemployment rate drops by most in nation

FILE- In this Jan. 30, 2018, file photo, Joana Dudley, of Lauderhill, Fla., looks at her list of job prospects at a JobNewsUSA job fair in Miami Lakes, Fla.

NEXT: See high-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. less FILE- In this Jan. 30, 2018, file photo, Joana Dudley, of Lauderhill, Fla., looks at her list of job prospects at a JobNewsUSA job fair in Miami Lakes, Fla.

NEXT: See high-paying jobs that don't require a ... more Photo: Lynne Sladky, STF / Associated Press Photo: Lynne Sladky, STF / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Houston unemployment rate drops by most in nation 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The Houston metro area saw among the largest decreases in its unemployment rate in the nation in May among large metros, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The local unemployment rate plunged to 3.2 percent in May. That was down 0.9 percentage points from a month prior, the largest rate decline in the nation, along with the Cleveland-Elyria metro area, which saw the same 0.9 percentage point decline, according to BLS data published Wednesday.

Houston’s economy also added 79,800 jobs in May from May of 2018, one of the largest over-the-year employment increases in the nation.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas unemployment rate falls to record low as Houston oil jobs make a comeback

Gains in the Houston, The Woodlands and Sugar Land area employment were beat only by job growth in New York-Newark-Jersey City, which added 107,000 jobs from last May, and job growth in the Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington area, which added 107,000 jobs.

THE DETAILS: Houston’s economy is humming along while the rest of the nation shows signs of slowing. Read more on HoustonChronicle.com.