Texas Unemployment Stats and News
Texas Unemployment Stats
Current and Historical Texas Stats Analysis
The unemployment rate in Texas has been on a slow incline over the past year. In February, the unemployment rate was hovering at 4.3 percent, but has been consistently growing (despite the frequent addition of jobs) to 4.7 percent. While Texas continues to be below the national average of 5.0 percent, the steady increase is most likely an indication of continued losses in the energy industry.
In 2015, the Texas energy industry (including oil and gas) declined by 10.5 percent of available jobs. Manufacturing jobs continue to decrease as well since much of this industry works to support oil and gas. In 2014, there were 766 active rigs drilling in Texas. Today, there are less than 300.
Despite the massive losses in the oil industry, Texas continues to experience job growth because of several thriving industries such as healthcare, hospitality, and leisure in the large metropolitan areas like Dallas and Austin. Both cities continue to report unemployment in the low to mid 3 percent range. While one of the historically largest industries in the state is suffering, Texas is thus far been able to level off the impact by posting growth numbers in up and coming industries.
Why Unemployment Stats Are Valuable
By looking at federal and state unemployment stats and data, you can greatly enhance your ability to knowledgeably search for an adequate full-time working position. Knowing which industries, occupations, and even companies are most active in your area can make your job search more productive. and save you time from applying in places or industries that are currently in decline.
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Texas Unemployment Stats Resources
There are various resources made available through Texas Workforce Commission to review Texas unemployment stats as well as economic data, including:
- Texas Interactive Workforce Data allows you to review data elements by different subjects (industries, wages, occupations), locations, or as a job seeker/employer.
- Business developers would find the TRACER tool helpful as it will provide data elements on job growth and historical salary, wage, and unemployment statistics.
- Texas Industry Profiles is beneficial for economic developers that need regional information on specific industries and how the workforce supports those efforts.
- SOCRATES is a web-based tool that gives market analysis related to specific industries in Texas in order to easily identify growth areas or career paths that would benefit from training and education initiatives to ensure long-term economic success of that region.
Texas Unemployment News
Texas Unemployment in the News
While the oil crises has made headlines recently, this news has been overshadowed by the frequency of large California companies announcing their intent to move their headquarters to Texas. Toyota was one of the first to announce that they would be consolidating their three corporate locations into one headquarters located in a Dallas suburb, Plano. As a result, an influx of California natives have also relocated to Texas to take advantage of affordable housing and a lack of state income tax.
In addition, Texas’ open policies and regulations are viewed favorably by entrepreneurs and startups. This has been the catalyst to recent growth in the tech sector. In fact, many Silicon Valley companies have opted to expand their reach into Austin and Dallas or to relocate altogether as they find the stability of the Texas workforce appealing.
SOURCES FOR TEXAS UNEMPLOYMENT
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/eligibility-benefit-amounts#unemploymentBenefitsEligibility
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/work-search-requirements-unemployment-benefits
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/introduction-unemployment-benefits-appeal-process
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/partners/twc-primary-enabling-state-statutes#txlaborcode
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/eligibility-benefit-amounts#unemploymentBenefitsEligibility
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/extended-unemployment-benefits-texas
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/other-resources-unemployed
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/applying-unemployment-benefits#howToApply
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services#requestAPayment
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/files/jobseekers/tutorial-apply-benefits-online-twc.pdf
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services#paymentoption
- http://www.twc.state.tx.us/files/jobseekers/instructions-completing-texas-application-employment-twc.pdf