Austin unemployment rate falls to 4.4 percent in March

AUSTIN – A surge in hiring has brought Austin’s unadjusted unemployment rate to a low of 4.4 percent in March from 4.8 percent in February, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The drop in unemployment was driven mostly by hiring — employers added almost 10,000 new workers to the payroll, far outpacing growth in the labor force.

March’s growth in the workforce of nearly 1 percent far outpaced the historical average for the month. Since 2000, Austin has averaged about 0.3 percent gains in employment through March.

The largest of hiring gains came from the leisure and hospitality sector. Hotels, restaurants, bars and related businesses added about 3,500 jobs in March, boosting payrolls by 3.4 percent.

The professional and business services also added about 2,000 workers, while retail and high-tech sectors remained nearly flat. Local governments’ payrolls grew slightly, but other public sectors held steady, while construction, computer and semiconductor manufacturing dipped slightly.

For more employment statistics, see Employment under Austin Market Data Sources.