Earlier today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released new labor force and unemployment data for major metropolitan areas around the U.S., and the figures offer a revealing look at which labor markets in Texas are booming.
According to the BLS, the ten metropolitan areas in Texas with the lowest unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) for September 2014 included: Midland (2.6%); Odessa (3.1%); Amarillo (3.6%); Lubbock (3.8%); College Station – Bryan (3.9%); San Angelo (3.9%); Abilene (4.0%); Victoria (4.0%); Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos (4.2%); and Longview (4.4%). The statewide average (not seasonally adjusted) for the same period was 5.0%.
In terms of the sheer number of jobs added, the Houston – Sugar Land – Baytown experienced the second largest year-over-year employment increase nationally with 119,400 net new jobs added. This was second only to the New York – Northern New Jersey – Long Island area (+130,500), according to the BLS.
The impressive new jobs data should offer jobseekers much encouragement about the state of the economy and the direction of the state overall.
