Editor: Shannon Cottongame
September 29, 2022
Hill and Bosque county unemployment rates dropped from July to August, according to data recently released by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
Hill County’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.9% in August. That is down from July’s rate of 4.1% and significantly lower than the same period last year, when the August 2021 rate was 4.7%.
There were 668 unemployed individuals in the county in August out of a total labor force of 17,099.
The Bosque County unemployment rate was reported at 3.8% in August, down from July’s rate of 3.9% and the August 2021 rate of 4.5%.
There were 326 unemployed Bosque County residents out of a total labor force of 8,692 in August.
The Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from July 2022. This marks the first increase in the state unemployment rate since April 2020.
Statewide in August, Texas added a total of 16,400 nonfarm jobs. For the tenth consecutive month, the state set new employment highs as total nonfarm employment reached 13,530,100. Texas has added a total of 726,900 positions since August 2021.
“Private industry jobs are up more than six percent from this time last year, and Texas employers continue to expand their workforces,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “TWC will continue to support both employers and job seekers with programs aimed at training Texans for high-wage, high-demand careers.”
Professional and business services led private industry job growth in August with 5,200 positions added, followed by education and health services, which grew by 3,800 jobs. Financial activities added 2,800 jobs. Also of note, government gained 8,100 jobs over the month.
“With more than 700,000 jobs added in the past year, opportunities for Texans to succeed continue to grow,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “From registered apprenticeship to skills development programs, TWC remains committed to offering pathways to meaningful employment for every Texan in the job market.”
The Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded August’s lowest unemployment rates among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.0 percent each, followed by Midland at 3.3 percent, then Abilene, College Station-Bryan, Lubbock and San Angelo each at 3.5 percent.
“Texas employers continue to drive the unprecedented job growth in the Lone Star State, and TWC is here to help employers both connect with untapped talent and build talent pipelines through internship and apprenticeship initiatives,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson.
“In addition, my office is committed to providing resources and assistance through our Texas Employer Hotline at 1-800-832-9394. Working together, we’ll keep Texas the best place in the nation to do business.”
The Lakelander 