During the month of January 2025, the unemployment rate in Texas border cities showed a slight adjustment in its year-over-year comparison, according to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
El Paso recorded a non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.2 in January, down from 4.3 in the same month in 2024. Brownsville had a January 2025 rate of 5.4, unchanged from the previous year.
Laredo registered an unemployment rate of 4.3 in January 2025, unchanged from the previous year; while McAllen, attained 6.2 at the end of the first month, down from 6.3 in the same period of 2024.
According to the figures presented, El Paso closed January 2025 with a total of 17,800 unemployed people, contrasting with the 17,400 that were registered a year ago; while 403,500 citizens were working this year. In Brownsville, 10,400 people ended January without work, as opposed to 10,100 last year, while 181.9 thousand were employed this year.
The city of Laredo reported 5,300 unemployed at the end of the first month of 2025, while 115,700 people were working during the same period; in McAllen, 25,100 citizens were looking for work, while 376,500 people were employed at the end of January 2025.
January marked the 55th of 57 months of growth for the Texas civilian labor force, which reached a new record of 15,750,800 people after adding 23,100 in that month. Year-to-date, the Texas civilian labor force has added 351,200 people, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state registered 4.1 percent, TWC reported.
The Private Education and Health Services industry had the largest monthly increase in January after adding 9,700 jobs. In addition, Professional and Business Services added 3,700 jobs during the month and Mining and Tree Trimming added 2,300 positions.
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) posted the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a seasonally unadjusted rate of 3.0% in January, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 3.1% and the San Angelo MSA at 3.3%.
