Texas Adds 32,000 Nonfarm Positions in March
April 20, 2018
AUSTIN ⎯ The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.0 percent in March and remains below the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. The Texas economy added 32,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in March, which marked 21 consecutive months of employment growth. Over the year, Texas added 294,100 jobs for an annual employment growth rate of 2.4 percent in March.
“Texas employers added 294,100 positions over the year with 10 of 11 industries adding jobs in the diverse Texas economy,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “Texas’ broad-based growth across industries provides exceptional opportunities for our highly skilled workforce and highlights the competitive strength of Texas employers.”
The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities Industry recorded the largest private-industry employment gain over the month with 7,500 positions added. Professional and Business Services employment grew by 6,200 jobs, while Construction employment expanded by 3,800 positions.
“Private-sector employment remained strong over the month with 30,600 jobs added in March,” said Commissioner Ruth R. Hughs. “Texas is a state that continues to welcome new employers and support home grown businesses, offering them the tools they need to succeed and grow.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.4 percent, followed by the Amarillo and College Station-Bryan MSAs with a rate of 3.0 percent, each.
“The Texas labor force has much to offer and there are resources available to find the perfect occupational fit,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “I encourage all job seekers to take advantage of these services and contact their local Workforce Solutions office for assistance with job training and placement.”
Audio downloads with comments from Commissioner Alvarez on the latest labor market data are available on the TWC website press release page. 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 tracer2.com.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
| Civilian Labor Force Estimates for Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas Not Seasonally Adjusted (In Thousands) | ||||||||||||
| March 2018 | February 2018 | March 2017 | ||||||||||
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 161,548.0 | 154,877.0 | 6,671.0 | 4.1 | 161,494.0 | 154,403.0 | 7,091.0 | 4.4 | 159,912.0 | 152,628.0 | 7,284.0 | 4.6 |
| Texas | 13,834.8 | 13,265.3 | 569.4 | 4.1 | 13,810.9 | 13,240.9 | 570.0 | 4.1 | 13,517.7 | 12,904.4 | 613.3 | 4.5 |
| Abilene | 77.4 | 74.7 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 77.2 | 74.5 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 75.7 | 72.8 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| Amarillo | 133.4 | 129.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 132.9 | 129.1 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 131.7 | 127.5 | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,190.8 | 1,154.1 | 36.8 | 3.1 | 1,189.1 | 1,153.1 | 36.1 | 3.0 | 1,146.0 | 1,108.1 | 37.9 | 3.3 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 176.9 | 165.2 | 11.7 | 6.6 | 176.4 | 164.4 | 12.0 | 6.8 | 176.8 | 164.3 | 12.5 | 7.0 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 168.2 | 157.3 | 11.0 | 6.5 | 166.9 | 155.8 | 11.1 | 6.7 | 167.6 | 155.6 | 12.0 | 7.2 |
| College Station-Bryan | 135.7 | 131.5 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 135.3 | 131.2 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 130.2 | 125.9 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| Corpus Christi | 209.8 | 198.3 | 11.5 | 5.5 | 208.9 | 197.3 | 11.6 | 5.5 | 211.8 | 199.3 | 12.5 | 5.9 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 3,886.4 | 3,742.5 | 143.9 | 3.7 | 3,883.5 | 3,741.6 | 141.9 | 3.7 | 3,765.1 | 3,618.0 | 147.1 | 3.9 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,629.0 | 2,531.8 | 97.2 | 3.7 | 2,627.2 | 2,531.1 | 96.1 | 3.7 | 2,540.3 | 2,442.1 | 98.3 | 3.9 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,257.4 | 1,210.7 | 46.7 | 3.7 | 1,256.2 | 1,210.4 | 45.8 | 3.6 | 1,224.8 | 1,175.9 | 48.9 | 4.0 |
| El Paso | 361.8 | 345.5 | 16.3 | 4.5 | 361.7 | 345.3 | 16.4 | 4.5 | 355.7 | 338.4 | 17.3 | 4.9 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,393.9 | 3,237.7 | 156.2 | 4.6 | 3,393.7 | 3,233.9 | 159.8 | 4.7 | 3,322.9 | 3,150.0 | 173.0 | 5.2 |
| Killeen-Temple | 177.7 | 170.3 | 7.3 | 4.1 | 177.7 | 170.4 | 7.3 | 4.1 | 174.9 | 167.1 | 7.8 | 4.4 |
| Laredo | 116.1 | 111.5 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 116.4 | 111.8 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 115.1 | 109.8 | 5.3 | 4.6 |
| Longview | 97.7 | 93.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 97.8 | 93.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 97.9 | 92.3 | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| Lubbock | 165.4 | 159.6 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 164.4 | 159.2 | 5.2 | 3.1 | 161.4 | 155.6 | 5.8 | 3.6 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 350.4 | 326.2 | 24.2 | 6.9 | 348.8 | 324.1 | 24.7 | 7.1 | 344.0 | 317.4 | 26.6 | 7.7 |
| Midland | 97.3 | 94.9 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 96.3 | 93.9 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 89.3 | 86.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
| Odessa | 81.0 | 78.4 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 80.8 | 78.3 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 76.6 | 72.8 | 3.8 | 4.9 |
| San Angelo | 55.6 | 53.8 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 55.4 | 53.6 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 54.9 | 52.7 | 2.2 | 4.0 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,186.2 | 1,145.0 | 41.1 | 3.5 | 1,189.6 | 1,148.7 | 40.9 | 3.4 | 1,160.5 | 1,117.8 | 42.8 | 3.7 |
| Sherman-Denison | 63.7 | 61.5 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 63.1 | 61.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 62.2 | 59.8 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Texarkana | 65.4 | 62.3 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 65.0 | 61.9 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 65.1 | 62.1 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
| Tyler | 107.9 | 103.9 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 107.7 | 103.7 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 105.2 | 100.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Victoria | 45.8 | 43.9 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 45.8 | 43.8 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 46.5 | 44.1 | 2.4 | 5.1 |
| Waco | 125.9 | 121.2 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 125.5 | 120.8 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 124.8 | 119.9 | 4.8 | 3.9 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.9 | 63.4 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 65.7 | 63.3 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 65.2 | 62.6 | 2.6 | 4.0 |
| Texas Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Seasonally Adjusted | ||||||||
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Mar 2018* | Feb 2018 | Mar 2017 | Feb ’18 to Mar ’18 | Mar ’17 to Mar ’18 | |||
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | |||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 12,463,700 | 12,431,700 | 12,169,600 | 32,000 | 0.3 | 294,100 | 2.4 | |
| Total Private | 10,518,000 | 10,487,400 | 10,228,900 | 30,600 | 0.3 | 289,100 | 2.8 | |
| Goods Producing | 1,851,800 | 1,841,200 | 1,771,200 | 10,600 | 0.6 | 80,600 | 4.6 | |
| Mining and Logging | 243,000 | 239,300 | 215,200 | 3,700 | 1.5 | 27,800 | 12.9 | |
| Construction | 744,000 | 740,200 | 710,000 | 3,800 | 0.5 | 34,000 | 4.8 | |
| Manufacturing | 864,800 | 861,700 | 846,000 | 3,100 | 0.4 | 18,800 | 2.2 | |
| Service Providing | 10,611,900 | 10,590,500 | 10,398,400 | 21,400 | 0.2 | 213,500 | 2.1 | |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,497,300 | 2,489,800 | 2,443,500 | 7,500 | 0.3 | 53,800 | 2.2 | |
| Information | 199,500 | 200,200 | 203,600 | -700 | -0.3 | -4,100 | -2.0 | |
| Financial Activities | 770,200 | 769,500 | 749,400 | 700 | 0.1 | 20,800 | 2.8 | |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,726,900 | 1,720,700 | 1,658,900 | 6,200 | 0.4 | 68,000 | 4.1 | |
| Education and Health Services | 1,686,000 | 1,683,900 | 1,662,900 | 2,100 | 0.1 | 23,100 | 1.4 | |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,352,600 | 1,352,100 | 1,311,900 | 500 | 0.0 | 40,700 | 3.1 | |
| Other Services | 433,700 | 430,000 | 427,500 | 3,700 | 0.9 | 6,200 | 1.5 | |
| Government | 1,945,700 | 1,944,300 | 1,940,700 | 1,400 | 0.1 | 5,000 | 0.3 | |