Texas gains nearly quarter million jobs since March 2016

​​​​COLLEGE STATION – Texas’ pace of job creation exceeded the nation’s for the year ending in March. The state gained 249,000 nonagricultural jobs, an annual growth rate of 2.1 percent, higher than the nation’s rate of 1.5 percent.

According to the Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, the nongovernment sector added 210,500 jobs, an annual growth rate of 2.1 percent, higher than the nation’s employment growth rate of 1.7 percent in the private sector.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March 2017 was 5.0 percent, up from 4.6 percent in March 2016. The nation’s rate decreased from 5.0 to 4.5 percent.

All Texas industries except mining and logging, and information had more jobs. The transportation, warehousing, and utilities industry ranked first in job creation followed by professional and business services, education and health services, construction, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality.

All Texas metro areas except Victoria, Longview, San Angelo, Odessa, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Midland, Wichita Falls, and Texarkana, had more jobs. Dallas-Plano-Irving ranked first in job creation followed by Austin-Round Rock, El Paso, College Station-Bryan, Fort Worth-Arlington, Laredo, and Sherman-Denison.

The state’s actual unemployment rate​​ was 5 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate followed by Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan, Lubbock, Midland, and San Antonio-New Braunfels.