Statewide Unemployment Rate Holds Steady in January

Area County Rates Show Increase

By Will Johnson              

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – According to a March 13 press release from the Texas Workforce Commission, “Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.5 percent in January.”

The TWC Statement further indicated the Texas economy added 279,900 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs over the year, including 19,500 jobs added over the month for January. Annual employment growth for Texas was 2.2 percent in January, marking 117 consecutive months of annual growth.

Statewide, the highest unemployment level recorded was 7.6 percent, in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) areas.

An MSA is defined as a “… free-standing metropolitan area composed of one or more counties.”

The lowest rate, at 2.4 percent, was in the Midland MSA. The nearest regional MSA is in the Tyler area which came in at 3.6 percent for the month of January.  

While the state numbers held steady, the unemployment rates for the contiguous counties of Houston County all showed an increase over the month-to-month timeframe. 

In Houston County, the unemployment rate for January showed an increase as it went from three percent in December 2019 to 3.5 percent in January 2020.  On a positive note, the January 2020 unemployment rate was slightly lower than the January 2019 rate of 3.7 percent.

The unemployment rate in Anderson County also climbed as it went from 2.7 percent in December 2019 to 3.1 percent in January 2020. On a positive note, the January 2020 unemployment rate was lower than the 3.5 percent rate posted in January 2019.

To the south – in Trinity County – the month-to-month rate went up as it went from five percent in December 2019 to 5.7 percent in January 2020. The 5.7 percent rate for January 2020 was the same as the unemployment rate for January 2019.  

The January unemployment rate in Cherokee County also went up as it went from 3.7 percent in December 2019 to 4.3 percent in January 2020. The 4.3 percent rate for January 2020 was lower than the 4.4 percent rate posted in January 2019.

The largest population center in the immediate area, Angelina County, saw the unemployment rate move up as it went from 3.8 percent in December 2019 to 4.4 percent in January 2020. On a positive note, the January 2020 rate was lower than the 4.7 percent rate posted in January 2019.

On a month-to-month basis, in Leon County, the statistical data indicated an increase from 4.1 percent in December 2019 to five percent in January 2020. The recent figures also the January 2020 unemployment rate was the same as in January 2019.

Madison County also saw an increase in the unemployment rate as it went from 3.9 percent in December 2019 to 4.4 percent in January 2020. The January 2020 rate was lower than the 4.5 percent rate posted in January 2019.

Rounding out the area counties, Walker County also saw an increase in the unemployment rate as it went from 3.5 percent in December 2019 to four percent in January 2020. The January 2020 rate was lower than the 4.4 percent rate posted in January 2019.

In the aforementioned press release from the Texas Workforce Commission, TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel stated, “In January the Texas unemployment rate was unchanged and remains lower than the national unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. The Texas Workforce Commission is committed to providing career opportunities to all Texans.”

The media statement further indicated, “Industries adding jobs in January included Leisure and Hospitality, which added 8,100 jobs; Government, which added 4,800 jobs; and Education and Health Services, which added 4,400 positions.”

TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez stated, “The data shows that Texans are eager to learn new skills to advance their careers. From apprenticeships to business leaders, Texas has a dedicated workforce that continues to make this the best workforce in the world.”

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].