Texas Unemployment Rate Remains Steady For July 2013, Lubbock’s Rate Decreases

The unemployment rate for the Lone Star State remained steady from June into July, but the rate for the Hub City has decreased.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2013 remained unchanged from June’s 6.5 percent.

The Texas economy did add 19,900 jobs in July for a total of 293,000 jobs added since July 2012, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The Financial Activities sector led the way in July with 9,000 jobs added, which is the largest monthly increase in that industry statewide since 1998.

Growth was also seen in the Mining and Logging sectors, which grew by 8,000 jobs in July.

Lubbock’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.8 percent for July 2013, down from June’s 6.1 percent and July 2012’s 6.4 percent.

The Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Lubbock and Crosby Counties, showed a total nonfarm employment increase of 1,000 from the previous month, with the highest gains in the leisure and hospitality sector. The state government sector added 200 jobs, while the local government sector decreased by 300 jobs.

The highest unemployment rate for any South Plains county is in Hale County with a 12.6 percent, down from June’s rate of 13.1 percent, yet still far above the 7.5 percent posted in July 2012. This signals that the area is still economically troubled from the closing of the Cargill Meat Processing Plant in Plainview earlier this year.

The highest unemployment rate in Texas for July 2013 is in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area at 11.3 percent, followed by the Brownsville-Harlingen area at 10.5 percent and the Beaumont-Port Arthur area at 10.2 percent.

The lowest unemployment rate in the state is in the Midland MSA at 3.5 percent, with the Odessa MSA coming in second at 4.2 percent. Amarillo ranked third with 5.1 percent.

The unemployment rate for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos area is at 5.6 percent, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington’s rate is 6.4 percent, and the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown and San Antonio-New Braunfels areas tied at 6.5 percent.

The national unemployment rate is 7.4 percent.