Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) released its September Labor Market and Employment report, revealing consistent employment growth across sectors and stability in the state’s unemployment rate. The report highlights that Texas gained 29,200 non-agricultural jobs in September and has added 327,400 jobs over the past year, translating to a 2.3% annual growth rate in employment. Texas and the national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted at 4.1%, with Texas maintaining this figure from the previous month, while the national rate decreased slightly by 0.1%.
Statewide Job Growth
The Goods-Producing sector in Texas demonstrated strong performance, adding 9,600 jobs in September, contributing to a total of 60,900 new jobs over the past year. This marks an annual growth rate of 3.0%. Within this sector, the construction industry showed the highest monthly job gain, adding 8,100 new positions and signaling a robust demand for labor in building and infrastructure.
In the Service-Providing sector, Texas saw an addition of 19,600 jobs in September. Over the past year, this sector has expanded by 266,500 jobs at an annual growth rate of 2.2%. Notably, the Professional and Business Services sector led this growth with a monthly addition of 10,500 jobs, also maintaining a yearly rate increase of 2.2%. Close behind, the Private Education and Health Services sector saw an impressive 3.2% annual increase and added approximately 10,400 employees in September, indicating sustained demand for professionals in education and healthcare.
Regional Unemployment Trends
Several counties in Texas experienced a decline in their unemployment rates in September. Hidalgo County saw a decrease of 0.5%, bringing its unemployment rate down to 5.9%. Similarly, Starr County’s unemployment dropped by 0.5% to 9.1%, while Willacy County decreased by 0.3% to 6.9%. Cameron and Webb Counties also experienced slight declines, now reporting 5.3% and 4.0% unemployment rates, respectively.
Unemployment in Major Cities
Within the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), McAllen boasts the lowest unemployment rate at 4.2%, followed by Edinburg at 4.8%. Mission’s unemployment decreased by 0.3% to 5.6%, while Harlingen and Brownsville saw decreases of 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively, with new rates at 5.2% and 5.3%. In Laredo, the unemployment rate fell by 0.4% to 3.9%, making it one of the region’s cities with the lowest unemployment figures.
Summary of Economic Momentum
The September report underscores Texas’ economic resilience, as employment growth remains strong across various industries, from construction to education and health services. With stable unemployment rates and marked job additions, Texas continues to provide diverse employment opportunities, contributing positively to both statewide and regional economies. The consistent job gains in goods-producing and service-providing sectors indicate that Texas remains a promising economic development and workforce stability landscape.
