Abilene, Big Country jobless rate down

ABILENE – There is a lot of hiring activity in the oil and gas industry, and employment in general in other fields is expected to pick up during the fall months, according Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas.

A little more than 80,000 people in the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area — made up of Taylor, Jones and Callahan counties — had jobs in March, and the area had a 4.9 percent unemployment rate, down from 5.1 in February. It was 5.5 percent in March 2012, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

Abilene had a 5 percent jobless rate in March, down slightly from 5.1 in February. The current rate is below the state unemployment rate, 6.4 percent, and well below the national average for March, 7.6 percent.

Taylor County’s March jobless rate also went down to 4.8 percent from 5 percent in February.

The Midland MSA had the lowest number of unemployed in March in the state at 3.1 percent. The Odessa MSA came in second at 3.7. Statewide, Texas employment fell by 4,100 jobs in March following the addition of nearly 80,000 jobs in February.

For all Texas areas, see the Texas Workforce Commission’s monthly report.