Texas Still Pumping Out Jobs

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – Despite lower oil prices, the Texas economy continues to create more jobs. The state’s economy gained 276,400 nonagricultural jobs from June 2014 to June 2015, an annual growth rate of 2.4 percent compared with 2.1 percent for the United States.

According to the Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, the nongovernment sector added 253,900 jobs, an annual growth rate of 2.6 percent compared with 2.4 percent for the nation’s private sector.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent last month from 5 percent a year ago. The nation’s rate decreased from 6.1 to 5.3 percent.

All Texas industries except mining and logging and manufacturing had more jobs in June 2015 than in June 2014. The state’s leisure and hospitality industry ranked first in job creation followed by education and health services, professional and business services, and transportation, warehousing and utilities.

All Texas metro areas except Wichita Falls had more jobs. Midland ranked first in job creation, followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Odessa, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Austin-Round Rock and San Antonio-New Braunfels.

The state’s actual unemployment rate last month was 4.4 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Austin-Round Rock, Midland, Lubbock, San Antonio-New Braunfels and College Station-Bryan.