By David A. Diaz
Photo by Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
Texas Border Business
Edinburg had an annual unemployment rate of 7.4 percent in 2013, the second-best showing among major Valley cities for last year, and the best figure for Edinburg since 2009, when the annual unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) has announced.
The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.
For the month of December 2013, Edinburg also posted the second-lowest unemployment rate among major Valley cities, at 6.8 percent.
The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy.
In both of those categories, which were compiled by the Texas Workforce Commission, only McAllen had lower jobless numbers than Edinburg, with McAllen coming in at 7.08 percent (annually) and 6.2 percent (December 2013).
Mayor Richard Garcia, who also serves as president of the five-member EEDC Board of Directors, said the low unemployment rates in Edinburg are helped by many factors.
“The difference is our people, the community that we have,” said Mayor Garcia. “They are very conscientious about working and providing for their families, so they seek out work and employment. Certainly, if the jobs are close to where they live, they will search out those jobs.”
Edinburg’s booming medical corridor which includes nine hospitals, major retail centers such as The Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley, the public education sector led by The University of Texas-Pan American and the Edinburg school district, and Hidalgo county government, anchored by the Hidalgo County Courthouse complex, are major creators of steady employment and growth.
As a result of such a stable economic foundation in place, “people want to live in Edinburg,” the mayor noted, describing the city as a “preferred residential community.”
“These qualities and characteristics of Edinburg mean continued economic growth, from people who are buying homes to new businesses opening up,” Garcia continued. “Also, Edinburg has a strong history of entrepreneurs who invest in our city by opening up successful businesses of all sizes, which create jobs.”
Throughout 2013, Edinburg’s unemployment rates per month ranged from December’s low of 6.8 percent to a high of 8.1 percent in June – the only month that the jobless numbers for the city went above eight percent.
Additionally, in 2013 the city never experienced monthly unemployment rates in double-digits, such as Brownsville and Weslaco, which reported figures higher than 10 percent every month of the year.
For December 2013, 32,699 residents in Edinburg were employed – the best figure for all of the year as well.
The Texas Workforce Commission released the latest figures on Friday, January 24.
“The EEDC contributes to the strong local economy and positive employment numbers in many ways, from recruiting new companies to the city to helping existing businesses expand,” said Agustín “Gus” Garcia, the Executive Director for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.
Mayor Garcia and Agustin “Gus” Garcia are not related.
“We hold successful job fairs throughout the year to connect qualified candidates with local employers, making it easier for everyone to land jobs, and find great new employees in one convenient setting,” said Gus Garcia “Usually, between 400 and 450 residents and about thirty or more employers participate in each of our job fairs, which are free and open to the public.”
The next job fair is being planned for April, and will be held at the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, located at 1906 South Closner. The time and date will be announced in a few weeks, and updates are available on the EEDC’s social media sites, including at facebook.com/edinburgedc.
According to Texas Workforce Commission:
The unemployment rate is the number of persons unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force;
The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed; and
To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work.
The latest figures for Edinburg and all other cities only go back to 2005, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, because of substantial methodology changes between 2004 and 2005 in estimating city unemployment statistics; Texas City data is not available prior to 2005.
For Edinburg, the December 2013 unemployment rate of 6.8 percent compares favorably with the same month in previous years:
Dec. 2013: 6.8 percent
Dec. 2012: 6.8 percent
Dec. 2011: 7.7 percent
Dec. 2010: 8.3 percent
Dec. 2009: 6.7 percent
Dec. 2008: 5.4 percent
Dec. 2007: 4.6 percent
Dec. 2006: 4.4 percent
Dec. 2005: 4.3 percent
The annual unemployment rates for Edinburg also follow:
2o13: 7.4 percent
2012: 7.8 percent
2011: 8.9 percent
2010: 8.4 percent
2009: 6.8 percent
2008: 5.0 percent
2007: 4.8 percent
2006: 5.3 percent
2005: 4.9 percent
The number of persons employed in Edinburg, by average per year, includes:
2013: 32,112
2012: 32,012
2011: 31,696
2010: 31,128
2009: 29,848
2008: 29,458
2007: 28,057
2006: 26,791
2005: 25,497
A breakdown of the major cities in the Rio Grande Valley shows that they posted the following unemployment rates in December 2013:
McAllen: 6.2 percent
Edinburg: 6.8 percent
Harlingen: 7.2 percent
Mission: 8.2 percent
Pharr: 8.6 percent
Brownsville: 10.2 percent
Weslaco: 10.2 percent
The Texas Workforce Commission maintains a detailed accounting of employment trends for Edinburg and all other cities in the state on its website, located at: www.tracer2.com/cgi/dataanalysis/AreaSelection.asp?tableName=Labforce
