Texas Job Growth Continues with 31,400 jobs added in July

State’s employer payrolls expand in 57 of the past 58 months

David Ball - For The Record

Texas added jobs for the fourth consecutive month with the addition of 31,400 seasonally adjusted nonagricultural jobs in July. The state has added jobs in 57 of the last 58 months.

“Texas employers added 31,400 jobs in July, resulting in an increase of 260,500 positions over the year,” said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Andres Alcantar. “The steady growth in jobs demonstrates the strength and diversity of the Texas economy.”

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent in July, the lowest monthly unemployment rate since July 2007. The state has posted a 4.2 percent unemployment rate in four of the first seven months of 2015. Texas’ unemployment rate continues to trend well below the national rate of 5.3 percent and is down from 5.0 percent a year ago.

Locally, Orange County's unemployment rate was a little higher than the national and state average, but lower than Beaumont-Port Arthur's.

July 2015 June 2015 July 2014

C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate C.L.F. Emp. Unemp. Rate

United States 158,527 149,722 8,805 5.6 158,283 149,645 8,638 5.5 157,573 147,265 10,307 6.5

Texas 13,081.5 12,484.1 597.4 4.6 13,097.7 12,517.7 580.0 4.4 13,178.7 12,450.4 728.3 5.5

Beaumont-Port Arthur 180.4 168.5 11.9 6.6 180.0 168.7 11.3 6.3 181.2 166.1 15.1 8.4

Orange County 37,977 35,530 2,447 6.4

“A declining unemployment rate is great news for our state,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor

Ronny Congleton. “Texas workers are among the most talented and skilled in the world and we continue to seek

and implement strategies to connect our skilled workers to good-paying jobs in all regions of our state.”

Employers in the Trade, Transportation and Utilities industry expanded their payrolls by 13,300 jobs in July,

contributing to a 3.0 percent annual growth rate for this industry. The Leisure and Hospitality industry added

jobs for the 49th consecutive month, with 5,300 positions added, and the Construction industry picked up 2,200

jobs in July.

“Over the month, private employers added more than 20,000 jobs, strengthening the Texas labor market,” said

TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “TWC and the network of Workforce Solutions

business service specialists partner with employers in Texas to help ensure that their workforce remains

competitive in the global marketplace. I urge employers who have specific skills needs to utilize TWC training

funds by working with their local community colleges to apply for a Skills Development Fund grant.”

The lowest rate of unemployment for a Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) belonged to the Midland

MSA in July with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.3 percent, followed by the Amarillo MSA with a 3.4

percent rate and the Austin-Round Rock MSA with a rate of 3.5 percent.