Texas Lost 11,100 Jobs in September but Is Still Up 154,300 Over the Year
Texas is still up 154,300 jobs over the year, a 1.1% growth rate that beat the nation, even after shedding 11,100 in September. Unemployment held at 4.4%.
Texas employers cut 11,100 nonfarm jobs in September, bringing the total to 14,461,300, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. Even so, Texas is up 154,300 jobs over the past 12 months, a 1.1% annual growth rate that the agency said beat the national rate by 0.8 percentage points. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 4.4%.
Who gained and who lost
Manufacturing had the biggest private-sector gain, adding 4,700 jobs. Professional and business services added 1,600, information added 1,400 and other services added 1,100.
The losses were wider. Government shed 5,900 jobs, private education and health services 4,800, trade, transportation and utilities 3,100, and construction 2,400. Leisure and hospitality lost 1,700, financial activities 1,300 and mining and logging 700, according to TWC's seasonally adjusted table.
August was also revised up, from 14,469,300 jobs in last month's release to 14,472,400.
Labor force and local rates
The civilian labor force grew by 15,800 in September to 15,948,400. But over the full year it added only 3,600 people, far less than job growth.
Midland again had the lowest unemployment rate among metro areas, 3.2% not seasonally adjusted. Abilene, Amarillo, College Station-Bryan and San Angelo followed at 3.5%. Statewide, the unadjusted rate was 4.3%.
"The addition of more than 154,000 jobs over the year reflects balanced growth across Texas industries," TWC Chairman Joe Esparza said.
Reading one month
One month is not a trend, and TWC says all estimates are subject to revision. Still, a monthly loss deserves attention, especially with health care and construction both down. We noted signs of cooling earlier in our look at Texas job growth.
Training is one answer state leaders keep pointing to. TWC highlighted its JET grants, and the state recently funded job-training programs at 13 colleges. The next state jobs report is due Nov. 20.
Hero photo: WhisperToMe / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
