Unemployment in Major Texas Markets Hits Historic Lows

Texas’ statewide unemployment rate hit a historic low of 3.0% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The not-seasonally-adjusted figure hasn’t been this low in the 43 years BLS has been tracking statewide unemployment. That record is no doubt being driven by the state’s largest markets, which are all seeing incredibly low unemployment. Both Austin and Dallas have hit a 19-year low in unemployment rates to stand at 2.3% and 2.8%, respectively, for the first time since 2000. Fort Worth hasn’t seen its current unemployment rate of 2.8% since 1998. Houston and San Antonio are at a more than 29-year low at 3.2% and 2.6% unemployment, respectively. Texas added about 76,800 non-farm jobs in the month of April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.