Lone Star State sets new record low unemployment rate

​​​​AUSTIN – Texas’ unemployment rate hit 3.5 percent in May, the lowest it has been since the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) began tracking the data in 1976. 

This breaks the previous low rate of 3.7 percent set in April 2019.

TWC Chair and Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs said the low unemployment rate highlights Texas’ competitive economy and skilled workforce. “Our economy is thriving across multiple industries, attracting new companies every day, showing that Texas is the best state in the nation to do business.”

Last month marked the 109th consecutive month of annual nonfarm employment growth as 19,600 seasonally adjusted positions were created.

The Texas metro with the lowest nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate was Midland at 1.7 percent. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission had the highest at 5 percent.

The mining and logging industry saw the most seasonally adjusted growth in employment from May 2018 to May 2019, growing 6.2 percent. The information industry was the only sector to see a drop in employment, falling 1.1 percent.​