U.S. job growth rate slips past Texas

According to the Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, the nongovernment sector added 194,200 jobs, an annual growth rate of 2 percent compared with 2.3 percent for the nation’s private sector.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent last month from 4.9 percent a year ago. The nation’s rate decreased from 6.1 to 5.1 percent.  

All Texas industries except mining and logging and manufacturing had more jobs. The state’s leisure and hospitality industry ranked first in job creation followed by education and health services, professional and business services, and the trade industry.

All Texas metro areas except Wichita Falls, College Station-Bryan, and Texarkana had more jobs. Dallas-Plano-Irving ranked first in job creation, followed by Beaumont-Port Arthur, Victoria, Austin-Round Rock, San Antonio-New Braunfels, Odessa and Midland.

The state’s actual unemployment rate last month was 4.4 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Austin-Round Rock, Midland, Lubbock, College Station-Bryan and San Antonio-New Braunfels.