Unemployment increased in El Paso during October
EL PASO, TX – During the month of October 2023, Texas border cities such as El Paso, Brownsville and Laredo showed slight variations in their annualized unemployment rate, according to numbers presented by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
Texas reached a new all-time high of 15,162,100 people after growing by 20,900 people during the month of October. This marked the 10th consecutive monthly increase and included the addition of 21,100 Texans employed during the month. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%.
Total nonfarm employment declined slightly during October with a decrease of 1,300 jobs. Texas was the top state in the U.S. for annual job growth, with 391,500 job gains. The annual growth rate outpaced the nation by one point, 2.9% versus 1.9% nationally.
“Despite a small decline in jobs, the Texas labor force grew by nearly 21,000 in October, with no change in the unemployment rate,” said Bryan Daniel, president of TWC.
Six of Texas’ top 11 industries grew during the month. Trade, transportation and utilities experienced significant growth with 5,300 jobs added, while the information sector gained 2,100 jobs in October. Another 1,500 jobs were added in Professional and Business Services.
“Texas continues to outpace the nation in job growth as we expand workforce opportunities in multiple industries,” said TWC Labor Representative Commissioner Alberto Treviño III.
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) maintained the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.4 percent in October, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.9 percent, and College Station-Bryan at 3.0 percent.
El Paso, recorded a non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last October of 4.4 remaining above the 4.1 recorded the same month but in 2022. Brownsville had a rate of 4.9, down from 5.1 a year earlier.
Laredo registered an unemployment rate of 4.3 in October 2023, remaining the same as the previous year; while McAllen, attained a 5.2 at the end of the ninth month, below the 5.6 registered in October 2022.
According to the figures presented, El Paso closed October with a total of 16,600 unemployed people, contrasting with the 15,400 registered a year ago; while 379,700 citizens were working this year. In Brownsville, 9,000 people ended October without work, the same as those recorded in 2022, while 181,400 were employed.
On the other hand, the city of Laredo reported 8 thousand unemployed, contrasting with the 7 thousand 800 reached in October 2022, while 187 thousand 500 people were working in October 2023; in McAllen, 20 thousand citizens were looking for work, while 381 thousand people were employed at the end of October 2023.