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Texas Workforce Press Release FOR RELEASE: Embargoed until 9 a.m. …
Tags: august 15, career information, chairman tom, economic slowdown, economic uncertainty, hospitality industry, industry gain, information date, metropolitan statistical area, mining employment, national job, natural resources and mining, nonagricultural employment, texas economy, texas employers, texas unemployment, texas workforce commission, twc, unemployment rate, year construction,Pages: 2
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Created: Fri Aug 22 07:30:52 2008
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Texas Workforce Press Release
FOR RELEASE: Embargoed until 9 a.m. CONTACT: Labor Market and Career Information
DATE: August 15, 2008 PHONE: 1-866-938-4444 or (512) 491-4922
Texas Employers Add 17,500 Jobs in July
Texas Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.7 Percent
AUSTIN -- Texas' seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment grew by 17,500 jobs in July.
Texas employers now have added 248,600 jobs in the past 12 months, for an annual job growth rate of
2.4 percent, compared to a negative national job growth rate. The Texas unemployment rate rose to
4.7 percent in July, up from 4.4 percent in June and 4.3 percent in July 2007. The U.S. seasonally
adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 5.7 percent in July, up from 5.5 percent in June and
4.7 percent a year ago.
"With the increase in the unemployment rate, Texas is beginning to feel the effects of the national
economic slowdown," said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Tom Pauken. "Although
job growth remains positive, employers added fewer jobs this month."
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced the lowest unemployment rate in the
state at 3.1 percent (not seasonally adjusted). The Odessa MSA was second at 3.7 percent, followed by
the Amarillo MSA at 3.8 percent.
The Leisure and Hospitality industry has gained jobs for 10 consecutive months, adding 3,400
positions in July. This is an industry gain of 38,800 jobs in the past year. Construction grew by 3,300
jobs this month, adding 28,600 jobs in the past 12 months.
"Job gains in July are a positive sign for the Texas economy, considering national economic
uncertainty," said TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar. "The state's job
growth rate remained a healthy 2.4 percent, providing jobs for Texas workers."
Natural Resources and Mining employment increased by 1,300 jobs in July, with 15,700 positions
added over the year. Financial Activities gained 800 jobs this month, with 9,600 jobs added since July
2007.
"The state's unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.7 percent," said TWC Commissioner Representing
Labor Ronny Congleton. "However, this is still far below the U.S. rate of 5.7 percent."
-more-
Texas Workforce Commission · 512-463-8942 · http://www.texasworkforce.org · Equal Opportunity Employer
Relay Texas · 1-800-735-2989 (TDD) · 1-800-735-2988 (Voice)
2-2-2-2
LMCI
Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
July 2008 June 2008 July 2007
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 156,300.0 146,867.0 9,433.0 6.0 155,582.0 146,649.0 8,933.0 5.7 154,871.0 147,315.0 7,556.0 4.9
State of Texas 11,809.3 11,215.0 594.3 5.0 11,776.3 11,206.5 569.8 4.8 11,578.3 11,031.3 547.0 4.7
Abilene 81.7 78.3 3.4 4.1 81.8 78.5 3.3 4.0 80.9 77.7 3.2 4.0
Amarillo 130.5 125.6 4.9 3.8 130.2 125.4 4.8 3.7 131.2 126.4 4.8 3.7
Austin-Round Rock 867.0 828.8 38.2 4.4 865.9 829.7 36.2 4.2 852.3 818.6 33.7 4.0
Beaumont-Port Arthur 182.5 170.4 12.1 6.6 182.2 170.6 11.6 6.3 178.8 168.4 10.4 5.8
Brownsville-Harlingen 145.2 135.1 10.1 7.0 145.7 135.7 10.0 6.8 145.2 135.7 9.5 6.5
College Station-Bryan 102.4 97.9 4.5 4.4 101.1 96.6 4.5 4.5 99.1 94.8 4.3 4.3
Corpus Christi 201.7 191.4 10.3 5.1 201.8 191.9 9.9 4.9 198.7 189.0 9.7 4.9
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 3,182.6 3,023.0 159.6 5.0 3,167.9 3,016.1 151.8 4.8 3,120.3 2,975.9 144.4 4.6
Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,127.7 2,020.4 107.3 5.0 2,117.3 2,014.7 102.6 4.8 2,084.4 1,987.8 96.6 4.6
Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,054.8 1,002.6 52.2 5.0 1,050.5 1,001.4 49.1 4.7 1,035.9 988.1 47.8 4.6
El Paso 298.5 279.7 18.8 6.3 297.7 279.2 18.5 6.2 290.5 272.0 18.5 6.4
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 2,818.5 2,680.4 138.1 4.9 2,804.0 2,671.2 132.8 4.7 2,762.0 2,635.3 126.7 4.6
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 154.5 146.4 8.1 5.2 155.1 147.2 7.9 5.1 152.8 145.2 7.6 5.0
Laredo 90.7 85.4 5.3 5.8 90.7 85.5 5.2 5.7 88.6 83.9 4.7 5.3
Longview 109.4 104.4 5.0 4.6 109.0 104.5 4.5 4.2 106.7 101.9 4.8 4.5
Lubbock 139.5 133.5 6.0 4.3 139.6 133.7 5.9 4.2 140.8 134.9 5.9 4.2
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 281.0 259.3 21.7 7.7 281.7 261.3 20.4 7.2 268.2 248.8 19.4 7.2
Midland 73.6 71.3 2.3 3.1 73.1 70.8 2.3 3.1 72.4 70.1 2.3 3.2
Odessa 69.6 67.0 2.6 3.7 69.2 66.7 2.5 3.6 67.6 65.0 2.6 3.8
San Angelo 52.9 50.6 2.3 4.3 53.1 50.9 2.2 4.1 52.7 50.6 2.1 4.0
San Antonio 952.9 906.8 46.1 4.8 950.4 906.3 44.1 4.6 934.3 892.0 42.3 4.5
Sherman-Denison 58.1 55.0 3.1 5.3 57.7 54.8 2.9 5.0 56.1 53.2 2.9 5.1
Texarkana 64.1 61.2 2.9 4.6 64.1 61.2 2.9 4.6 62.5 59.3 3.2 5.1
Tyler 99.0 93.9 5.1 5.1 98.8 94.1 4.7 4.8 97.5 93.1 4.4 4.5
Victoria 58.4 55.9 2.5 4.2 58.0 55.6 2.4 4.1 58.0 55.7 2.3 4.0
Waco 116.2 110.6 5.6 4.8 115.7 110.3 5.4 4.7 114.6 109.0 5.6 4.9
Wichita Falls 75.6 72.1 3.5 4.6 75.2 71.8 3.4 4.6 73.7 70.4 3.3 4.4
Please note that the unemployment estimates for the United States and Texas in this chart are
"Not Seasonally Adjusted" for purposes of comparison to the "Not Seasonally Adjusted"
Metropolitan Statistical Area data.
Audio downloads from TWC Chairman Tom Pauken on latest labor market data are available at the
following link:
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/news/press/2008/praudio08.html
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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 unison with its network of local workforce
development boards, call (512) 463-8556 or visit www.texasworkforce.org.