Nation’s job growth pulls ahead of Texas’—slightly

​​COLLEGE STATION – Texas gained 172,600 nonagricultural jobs from June 2015 to June 2016, an annual growth rate of 1.5 percent, lower than the nation’s growth rate of 1.8 percent.

According to the Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy​, the nongovernment sector added 126,800 jobs, an annual growth rate of 1.3 percent compared with 2 percent for the nation’s private ​sector.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, up from 4.4 percent a year ago. The nation’s rate decreased from 5.3 to 4.9 percent.

All Texas industries except mining and logging, manufacturing, and the transportation, warehousing, and utilities industry had more jobs in June 2016 than in June 2015. Leisure and hospitality ranked first in job creation followed by education and health services, financial activities, the government sector, and trade. 

All Texas metros except Midland and Odessa had more jobs. College Station-Bryan ranked first in job creation followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Austin-Round Rock, Lubbock, and Brownsville-Harlingen.

​The state’s actual unemployment rate was 4.8 percent. Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Lubbock, Sherman-Denison, and San Antonio-New Braunfels.