The local oil and gas boom has taken Odessa to the top — the top of a monthly state-wide economic review, that is.

A report by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University ranked Odessa first in job creation for Texas metro areas between May 2011 than May 2012, adding 8.5 percent more jobs during that time.

Odessa went from 65,700 non-farming jobs in May 2011 to 71,300 jobs in May 2012 according to data from the Texas Workforce Commission.

“These are exciting times,” Odessa Chamber of Commerce president Mike George said.

Overall, the Texas economy gained more than 220,550 nonagricultural jobs from May 2011 to May 2012 and an annual growth rate of 2.2 percent compared with 1.4 percent for the United States, according to the report.

The unemployment rate in Texas, and in Odessa, decreased in the past year. Texas as a whole decreased its unemployment from 7.8 percent in May 2011 to 6.9 percent in May 2012. In Odessa, unemployment dropped from 5.8 percent in May 2011 to 4.3 percent in May 2012. Only Midland had lower unemployment among Texas metro areas at 3.8 percent; Midland also ranked 10th in job growth rate at 2.7 percent, growing from 74,000 jobs to 76,000 during the year.

Much of the growth in Odessa is heavily weighted toward the oil and gas industry, although the oilfield activity has opened up opportunities in the service industry, George said.

In addition to new restaurants, George said the Chamber was aware of seven potential hotels to be built this year in Odessa.

Boom times are also an opportunity for people in positions of leadership to address various issues, like housing shortages, George said.

Permian Basin Workforce Development CEO Willie Taylor said that initially the job growth in the Permian Basin was good but unexpected and uncontrolled, and going forward the area needs to have planned growth.

As the job market continues to grow, Odessans should encourage young people to take advantage of technical training opportunities at community colleges, Taylor said.

It would actually be easier for them to take advantage of Permian Basin job opportunities, Taylor said.

“Local folks here do have a place to live already,” Taylor said.

George said the Chamber expects the strong economic conditions to continue in the long term.

“We do anticipate that this high level of activity will continue for a long period of time,” George said.

@OAhealth