Texas Border Business
McAllen, TX – According to Workforce Solutions, the metropolis area of the Hidalgo County unemployment rate fell to 7.4 percent in September, the lowest rate in the tri-county area.
Government jobs that include Public Education and Law Enforcement led all major industries in the McAllen Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) with an increase of 2,100 jobs in September. Also, the Healthcare Sector took the second spot in most jobs added in McAllen MSA from the Trade and Transportation Industry with an additional 1,800 jobs in August.
Two of our larger cities have broken below the 5% level this month. McAllen and Edinburg are tied for the lowest reported city unemployment rate, at 4.9%. Harlingen was third at 5.8%, edging out Mission at 5.9%.
“In Hidalgo County this is the lowest unemployment rate we’ve seen in 7 years,” said Francisco Almaraz, Chief Executive Officer Workforce Solutions. “When the recession hit, the unemployment numbers increased by about 30% in our region. The Rio Grande Valley is showing resilience along with the state as wage rates are climbing due to supply and demand.”
Texas added jobs in September for the seventh month of job growth in a row in 2015. The state added 26,600 nonfarm seasonally adjusted jobs as it rebounded from a revised decrease of 3,400 jobs in August. Over the year, Texas employers have increased their payrolls by 224,800 positions since September of 2014.
About: Workforce Solutions (WFS), under the direction of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), is one of 28 local workforce boards located throughout the state. This workforce board services Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. The primary goal of TWC and the 28 workforce boards is to respond to needs of Texas employers and workers through locally designed market-driven workforce development initiatives and services. All employers, workers, and job seekers are encouraged to take advantage of these services. To learn more about the programs and services WFS has to offer, please call (877) 687-1121 or visit WFSolutions.org.
