Unemployment rate dips to 4.8%
Trinity Standard - December 2007

TRINITY – After climbing to 5.3 percent in September, Trinity County’s unemployment rate fell by half a percentage point in October.

According to a report issued by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the local jobless figure dipped down to 4.8 percent..

The October figures – the latest cur­rently available from TWC – indi­cate that during that month there were 5,499 workers in the county and that 263 of them were looking for jobs.

September’s report listed a total of 5,601 workers with 299 looking for jobs.

While the October rate is down half of a percentage point from September, it is down by 0.6 tenths of a point when compared to the 5.4 percent rate posted for October 2006.

The 4.8 percent jobless figure is the lowest October rate posted by TWC for Trinity County since a 4.6 percent report was recorded in October 2000.

Statewide, October’s actual unem­ployment rate of 3.9 percent also was down from the 4.4 percent figure posted in September. It was also down from the 4.4 percent rate listed for October 2006.

When seasonal factors are added to the equation, the state’s October unemployment rate was listed at 4.1 percent, which was down from the 4.3 percent rate posted for September. The latest season­ally adjusted rate was down significantly from the 4.8 percent figure re­corded in October 2006.

The actual national unemploy­ment rate for October was listed at 4.4 percent, which was down from the 4.5 percent rate recorded in September but up from the 4.1 percent rate recorded one year ago in October 2006.

October’s sea­sonally adjusted U.S. rate of 4.7 percent was unchanged from the September rate. The latest seasonally adjusted rate was up from the 4.4 percent figure posted one year ago in October 2006.

In the report, TWC officials noted Texas’ 4.1 percent seasonally adjusted rate is the lowest recorded since the current series began in 1976.

Seasonally adjusted nonagri­cultural employment in Texas grew by 24,200 jobs in October, for a total of 206,400 jobs in the past 12 months.

“The strength of the Texas economy is reflected in this record low unemployment rate,” said TWC Chair Diane Rath. “Texas employers continue to expand at a tremendous pace, offering workers strong opportunities.”

Employment in the Professional & Business Services sector lead the gains with 5,600 jobs in October, for an increase of 56,400 positions over the year and an annual job growth rate of 4.5 percent.

Leisure & Hospitality recorded a monthly increase of 3,200 jobs, for a total of 37,200 since October 2006, a 3.9 percent annual job growth rate.

“Texas employers continue their impressive run by adding jobs and fueling the state’s economy,” said TWC Employer Commissioner Ron Lehman. “We have job growth in 10 of 11 industry sectors over the past month, with notable annual job growth rate in Natural Resources & Mining, as well as Professional & Business Services.”

Education & Health Services gained 3,400 jobs in October, contributing to an annual growth of 24,100. Natural Resources & Mining continues to maintain the highest annual job growth rate at 8.0 percent, adding 1,400 jobs during the month and 15,300 over the year.

“Job availability and low unemployment rates position Texas workers to succeed,” said TWC Labor Commissioner Ronny Congleton. “This historically low unemployment rate indicates that workers are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to them.”

Construction employment posted a significant gain of 2,100 jobs in October, bringing the number of jobs added in that sector since October 2006 to 10,800. Trade, Transportation & Utilities added 2,100 jobs in October for a total of 23,600 positions since October 2006.

Of the state’s 25 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the high­est jobless rate was the 5.3 percent figure recorded for the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA

Next was the El Paso MSA at 5.2 percent; the Brownsville-Harlingen MSA at 5.1 percent; the Beaumont-Port Arthur MSA at 4.9 percent; and Sherman-Denison and Texarkana MSAs, tied at 4.4 percent; the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood MSA at 4.3 percent; and the Laredo MSA at 4.1 percent

The MSA with the lowest unem­ployment during the month was the Midland MSA at 2.7 percent, fol­lowed by the Amarillo, Lubbock and Odessa MSAs tied at 3.1 percent; the College Station-Bryan MSA at 3.2 percent; and the Abilene and Austin-Round Rock, MSAs tied at 3.3 per­cent.

Unemployment rates posted for other East Texas counties include:
                             OCT.             %
COUNTY           RATE      CHANGE
Anderson               4.9              -0.5
Angelina                 3.9              -0.3
Cherokee                4.6              -0.4
Grimes                     4.2              -0.5
Harris                      3.8              -0.5
Houston                 5.6              -0.7
Jasper                      5.3              -0.4
Jefferson                 5.1              -0.6
Leon                        3.8              -0.5
Liberty                    4.6              -0.7
Madison                 4.4              -0.7
Montgomery          3.5              -0.4
Nacogdoches        3.6              -0.5
Polk                         5.3              -0.7
Sabine                     7.1              -1.0
San Augustine      5.1              -0.4
San Jacinto             4.3              -1.0
Shelby                     3.9              -0.5
Trinity                   4.8             -0.5
Tyler                        5.1              -0.7
Walker                    4.4              -0.6