Texas Unemployment Rate Falls to 7.2 Percent
By Texas Workforce Commission Posted 01-22-2021

Texas Adds 67,600 Private Sector Positions Over the Month

AUSTIN - Texas added 64,200 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, marking the eighth consecutive month of job growth in Texas. The Texas unemployment rate for December 2020 was 7.2 percent, down from 8.1 percent in November 2020.

"The private sector job growth we saw in December is promising" said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. "TWC continues to dedicate significant resources for Texans looking for new jobs and for Texas employers working to fill open jobs."

In December, the Professional and Business Services industry added 27,000 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities industry added 20,100 jobs and Education and Health Services added 6,600 jobs.

“This month’s job numbers prove that high-skilled workers are in-demand," said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. "TWC continues to encourage Texans to utilize up-skilling opportunities like the Skills Enhancement Initiative through Metrix learning."

The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded December’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 4.9 percent, followed by the College Station-Bryan MSA with the second lowest rate of 5.0 percent. The Austin-Round Rock MSA recorded the third lowest rate of 5.1 percent.

“Texas employers continue to remain steadfast as December marks the fifth consecutive month of private sector job growth, which is a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “As we kick off the first quarter of 2021, my office stands ready to help all employers navigate the exciting future which lays ahead! We look forward to helping Texas continue to be the best state in which to do business.”

Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com.

The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for January is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).

Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands)
  December 2020 November 2020 December 2019
C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate
United States 160,017.0 149,613.0 10,404.0 6.5 160,468.0 150,203.0 10,264.0 6.4 164,007.0 158,504.0 5,503.0 3.4
Texas 14,170.5 13,163.7 1,006.7 7.1 14,200.3 13,070.1 1,130.2 8.0 14,192.3 13,722.1 470.1 3.3
Abilene 79.0 74.8 4.2 5.4 79.1 74.4 4.8 6.0 79.5 77.3 2.2 2.7
Amarillo 128.8 122.6 6.3 4.9 128.6 121.7 6.9 5.4 132.9 129.8 3.1 2.3
Austin-Round Rock 1,267.2 1,202.1 65.0 5.1 1,268.5 1,193.9 74.6 5.9 1,255.2 1,225.0 30.2 2.4
Beaumont-Port Arthur 172.3 153.3 19.0 11.0 173.5 152.9 20.5 11.8 174.1 164.5 9.6 5.5
Brownsville-Harlingen 166.2 149.1 17.1 10.3 167.2 148.4 18.7 11.2 167.8 158.3 9.5 5.7
College Station-Bryan 137.9 131.0 7.0 5.0 139.1 131.4 7.7 5.5 137.1 133.7 3.4 2.5
Corpus Christi 200.8 182.7 18.1 9.0 202.2 182.0 20.2 10.0 207.0 198.2 8.8 4.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 4,059.1 3,802.4 256.7 6.3 4,054.3 3,764.3 290.0 7.2 4,031.6 3,913.8 117.8 2.9
   Dallas-Plano-Irving MD 2,742.8 2,571.7 171.2 6.2 2,736.9 2,543.5 193.4 7.1 2,719.7 2,640.4 79.3 2.9
   Fort Worth-Arlington MD 1,316.3 1,230.7 85.6 6.5 1,317.4 1,220.8 96.6 7.3 1,311.9 1,273.5 38.5 2.9
El Paso 366.2 336.7 29.5 8.1 370.7 336.1 34.7 9.4 367.6 354.5 13.1 3.6
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,445.6 3,169.2 276.4 8.0 3,461.9 3,152.2 309.7 8.9 3,462.6 3,336.6 126.0 3.6
Killeen-Temple 177.5 165.7 11.9 6.7 178.5 165.4 13.1 7.4 179.0 172.8 6.1 3.4
Laredo 116.8 107.3 9.5 8.1 117.2 106.5 10.7 9.1 119.3 115.1 4.3 3.6
Longview 97.2 89.5 7.7 8.0 97.7 89.0 8.7 8.9 99.2 95.7 3.6 3.6
Lubbock 161.5 152.5 9.0 5.6 162.8 152.7 10.1 6.2 163.6 159.6 4.0 2.5
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 358.6 316.5 42.0 11.7 358.7 313.8 44.9 12.5 361.0 335.7 25.3 7.0
Midland 105.3 96.8 8.4 8.0 105.6 95.8 9.8 9.3 110.8 108.5 2.3 2.0
Odessa 86.3 76.4 9.9 11.5 87.2 75.8 11.4 13.1 88.1 85.6 2.6 2.9
San Angelo 53.5 50.1 3.4 6.4 53.5 49.7 3.8 7.2 55.2 53.6 1.6 2.8
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,213.9 1,136.1 77.9 6.4 1,215.1 1,125.9 89.2 7.3 1,218.6 1,184.4 34.2 2.8
Sherman-Denison 65.4 61.9 3.6 5.4 65.1 61.1 4.0 6.1 64.2 62.4 1.9 2.9
Texarkana 65.9 62.2 3.7 5.7 65.4 60.9 4.5 6.9 65.3 62.8 2.5 3.8
Tyler 109.3 102.3 6.9 6.4 108.9 101.2 7.7 7.1 108.0 104.6 3.4 3.1
Victoria 45.8 42.2 3.6 7.8 45.7 41.7 4.0 8.8 46.2 44.6 1.6 3.4
Waco 128.9 121.2 7.7 5.9 129.7 121.2 8.5 6.5 126.6 122.8 3.8 3.0
Wichita Falls 65.1 60.7 4.4 6.8 65.0 60.2 4.8 7.3 65.5 63.6 1.9 2.9
Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted
INDUSTRY TITLE Dec 2020* Nov 2020 Dec 2019 Nov '20 to Dec '20 Dec '19 to Dec '20
Absolute Change Percent Change Absolute Change Percent Change
Total Nonagricultural 12,514,200  12,450,000  12,945,000  64,200  0.5    -430,800  -3.3     
Total Private 10,578,100  10,510,500  10,962,800  67,600  0.6    -384,700  -3.5     
Goods Producing 1,836,500  1,829,700  1,941,300  6,800  0.4    -104,800  -5.4     
   Mining and Logging 194,000  193,000  236,200  1,000  0.5    -42,200  -17.9     
   Construction 761,400  758,300  795,000  3,100  0.4    -33,600  -4.2     
   Manufacturing 881,100  878,400  910,100  2,700  0.3    -29,000  -3.2     
Service Providing 10,677,700  10,620,300  11,003,700  57,400  0.5    -326,000  -3.0     
   Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 2,498,900  2,478,800  2,547,600  20,100  0.8    -48,700  -1.9     
   Information 201,400  197,900  209,100  3,500  1.8    -7,700  -3.7     
   Financial Activities 820,300  825,100  812,100  -4,800  -0.6    8,200  1.0     
   Professional and Business Services 1,857,300  1,830,300  1,820,900  27,000  1.5    36,400  2.0     
   Education and Health Services 1,695,500  1,688,900  1,767,000  6,600  0.4    -71,500  -4.0     
   Leisure and Hospitality 1,237,900  1,231,600  1,411,000  6,300  0.5    -173,100  -12.3     
   Other Services 430,300  428,200  453,800  2,100  0.5    -23,500  -5.2     
   Government 1,936,100  1,939,500  1,982,200  -3,400  -0.2    -46,100  -2.3     
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