January 21, 2022 – Texas Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.0 Percent in December
Date: January 21, 2022
Media Contact: Cisco Gamez Phone: 512-463-8556
State Reaches Record Employment Level – More than 13 Million Jobs
AUSTIN - In December, the seasonally adjusted Texas unemployment rate was 5.0 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from November 2021. Texas added 50,000 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, making gains in 19 of the last 20 months. For the month, the state reached another record employment level with 13,059,600 jobs. Texas has added a total of 694,400 positions since December 2020.
“Seeing a second consecutive month of record-setting employment, with more than 13 million jobs, highlights the underlying strength of the Texas economy,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “This economic strength creates an environment for Texas employers to continue to create jobs and provide opportunities for the workforce in the Lone Star State.”
In December, the Construction industry gained 10,400 jobs over the month. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 7,300 positions. Also of note, Financial Activities added 7,200 jobs.
“After surpassing our pre-pandemic record employment high in November, career opportunities in Texas continued to grow in December,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “Whether you’re looking to upskill in your current field or find training for a new career, TWC is here to support all Texans in their search for meaningful employment.”
The Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded December’s lowest unemployment rates among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.9 percent, followed by College Station-Bryan at 3.2 percent, then Abilene and Lubbock each at 3.3 percent.
“The continued job growth we’ve seen in our Texas labor market is a true testament to the strength of our Texas employers, large and small,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “In addition, the falling unemployment rate demonstrates Texans taking advantage of the numerous job and career opportunities provided by our Texas employers.”
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 11, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. (CST).
| DECEMBER 2021 | NOVEMBER 2021 | DECEMBER 2020 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 161,696.00 | 155,732.00 | 5,964.00 | 3.7 | 162,099.00 | 155,797.00 | 6,302.00 | 3.9 | 160,017.00 | 149,613.00 | 10,404.00 | 6.5 |
| Texas | 14,398.70 | 13,786.00 | 612.7 | 4.3 | 14,430.00 | 13,775.20 | 654.8 | 4.5 | 14,139.90 | 13,191.30 | 948.6 | 6.7 |
| Abilene | 81.5 | 78.8 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 82.1 | 79.1 | 3 | 3.6 | 78.8 | 74.8 | 4 | 5 |
| Amarillo | 136 | 132.1 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 136.6 | 132.3 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 133.6 | 127.7 | 5.9 | 4.4 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,328.70 | 1,290.00 | 38.7 | 2.9 | 1,332.30 | 1,289.80 | 42.5 | 3.2 | 1,264.30 | 1,202.60 | 61.7 | 4.9 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 175.1 | 162.5 | 12.7 | 7.2 | 175.1 | 162.1 | 13 | 7.4 | 172.5 | 154.6 | 17.9 | 10.4 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 170.6 | 159 | 11.6 | 6.8 | 170.5 | 158.9 | 11.7 | 6.8 | 169.9 | 153.8 | 16.1 | 9.5 |
| College Station-Bryan | 134.7 | 130.4 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 136.7 | 132 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 133.7 | 127.1 | 6.6 | 4.9 |
| Corpus Christi | 204.7 | 192.9 | 11.8 | 5.8 | 205.2 | 193 | 12.3 | 6 | 201.2 | 184.2 | 17 | 8.4 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,182.20 | 4,030.10 | 152.1 | 3.6 | 4,190.30 | 4,024.90 | 165.4 | 3.9 | 4,068.00 | 3,825.70 | 242.3 | 6 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,825.30 | 2,723.60 | 101.8 | 3.6 | 2,833.10 | 2,722.30 | 110.7 | 3.9 | 2,742.90 | 2,581.40 | 161.6 | 5.9 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,356.90 | 1,306.50 | 50.4 | 3.7 | 1,357.30 | 1,302.60 | 54.7 | 4 | 1,325.00 | 1,244.30 | 80.7 | 6.1 |
| El Paso | 369.6 | 352.1 | 17.5 | 4.7 | 373 | 354.4 | 18.6 | 5 | 371.6 | 343.9 | 27.7 | 7.4 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,482.70 | 3,314.50 | 168.2 | 4.8 | 3,478.80 | 3,300.70 | 178.1 | 5.1 | 3,409.00 | 3,148.50 | 260.5 | 7.6 |
| Killeen-Temple | 182.9 | 174.9 | 8 | 4.4 | 183.9 | 175.2 | 8.8 | 4.8 | 179.9 | 168.6 | 11.2 | 6.2 |
| Laredo | 117.4 | 111.8 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 117.4 | 111.5 | 5.9 | 5 | 116.2 | 107.3 | 8.9 | 7.7 |
| Longview | 97 | 92.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 97.5 | 92.5 | 5 | 5.1 | 96.3 | 89 | 7.3 | 7.5 |
| Lubbock | 166.3 | 160.8 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 167.3 | 161.4 | 6 | 3.6 | 164.4 | 156 | 8.5 | 5.1 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 372.7 | 343.7 | 29 | 7.8 | 371.2 | 342.8 | 28.4 | 7.7 | 363.9 | 324.3 | 39.6 | 10.9 |
| Midland | 101 | 96.8 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 101.1 | 96.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 98.8 | 90.8 | 7.9 | 8 |
| Odessa | 80.2 | 75.5 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 80.3 | 75.3 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 80.8 | 71.4 | 9.4 | 11.6 |
| San Angelo | 55.1 | 53.1 | 2 | 3.6 | 55.1 | 52.9 | 2.2 | 4 | 54.8 | 51.6 | 3.2 | 5.9 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,240.60 | 1,194.30 | 46.3 | 3.7 | 1,247.70 | 1,196.90 | 50.8 | 4.1 | 1,218.50 | 1,145.10 | 73.4 | 6 |
| Sherman-Denison | 67 | 64.7 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 67.1 | 64.6 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 65.6 | 62.2 | 3.4 | 5.1 |
| Texarkana | 64.2 | 61.5 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 63.9 | 61.2 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 64 | 60.3 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
| Tyler | 116.7 | 112.5 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 116.6 | 112 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 110.4 | 103.9 | 6.5 | 5.9 |
| Victoria | 44.2 | 42 | 2.2 | 5 | 44.3 | 42 | 2.4 | 5.3 | 44.7 | 41.4 | 3.4 | 7.5 |
| Waco | 131.7 | 127.1 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 132.3 | 127.2 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 129.4 | 122.2 | 7.2 | 5.6 |
| Wichita Falls | 64.9 | 62.5 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 64.9 | 62.2 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 64.8 | 60.7 | 4.1 | 6.4 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Dec 2021* | Nov 2021 | Dec 2020 | Nov '21 to Dec '21 | Dec '20 to Dec '21 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 13,059,600 | 13,009,600 | 12,365,200 | 50,000 | 0.4 | 694,400 | 5.6 |
| Total Private | 11,075,200 | 11,026,500 | 10,404,100 | 48,700 | 0.4 | 671,100 | 6.5 |
| Goods Producing | 1,854,500 | 1,834,000 | 1,759,100 | 20,500 | 1.1 | 95,400 | 5.4 |
| Mining and Logging | 207,500 | 203,500 | 175,100 | 4,000 | 2 | 32,400 | 18.5 |
| Construction | 750,500 | 740,100 | 725,800 | 10,400 | 1.4 | 24,700 | 3.4 |
| Manufacturing | 896,500 | 890,400 | 858,200 | 6,100 | 0.7 | 38,300 | 4.5 |
| Service Providing | 11,205,100 | 11,175,600 | 10,606,100 | 29,500 | 0.3 | 599,000 | 5.6 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,636,600 | 2,629,300 | 2,514,700 | 7,300 | 0.3 | 121,900 | 4.8 |
| Information | 209,300 | 207,900 | 198,200 | 1,400 | 0.7 | 11,100 | 5.6 |
| Financial Activities | 856,300 | 849,100 | 807,000 | 7,200 | 0.8 | 49,300 | 6.1 |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,981,000 | 1,974,600 | 1,807,800 | 6,400 | 0.3 | 173,200 | 9.6 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,760,900 | 1,762,600 | 1,703,000 | -1,700 | -0.1 | 57,900 | 3.4 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,346,900 | 1,340,400 | 1,214,500 | 6,500 | 0.5 | 132,400 | 10.9 |
| Other Services | 429,700 | 428,600 | 399,800 | 1,100 | 0.3 | 29,900 | 7.5 |
| Government | 1,984,400 | 1,983,100 | 1,961,100 | 1,300 | 0.1 | 23,300 | 1.2 |
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The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.
