The Texas economy continued to outpace the nation’s, gaining 356,200 nonagricultural jobs from April 2013 to April 2014. The state’s 3.2 percent annual growth rate compared with 1.7 percent for the United States.
According to the Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy, the state’s nongovernment sector added 330,600 jobs, an annual growth rate of 3.6 percent compared with 2.1 percent for the nation’s private sector.
Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent in April 2014 from 6.4 percent in April 2013. The nation’s rate decreased from 7.5 to 6.3 percent.
All Texas industries had more jobs in April 2014 than in April 2013. The state’s mining and logging industry ranked first in job creation followed by the transportation, warehousing and utilities industry, construction, and leisure and hospitality.
All Texas metro areas except Wichita Falls and Amarillo had more jobs in April 2014 than in April 2013. College Station ranked first in job creation, followed by Midland, Dallas-Plano-Irving, Victoria and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos.
The state’s actual unemployment rate in April was 4.7 percent. Midland had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Odessa, Amarillo, Lubbock, College Station-Bryan and San Angelo.
Source: Real Estate Center