Texas Unemployment Rate Drops, Economy Adds Jobs
By: Becca Aaronson, The Texas Tribune
Updated: April 20, 2012
"We've remained below the national unemployment rate for 63 straight months, and Texas continues to
show private-sector job growth," said Tom Pauken, chairman of the workforce commission. The national unemployment rate stands at 8.2 percent.
Leisure and hospitality added the most jobs, with 6,000, and is the industry with the highest annual growth rate at 4.8 percent. The information industry, which has consistently taken hits through the recession and has had the slowest growth this year of any Texas industry, added the second-highest number of jobs with 3,100. Government and education and health services tied for third place, each adding 2,900 jobs.
Government still has the greatest annual loss in jobs. State, local and federal government combined has shrunk by 54,900 positions, or 3 percent since this time last year.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/texas-economy/economy/texas-unemployment-rate-drops-economy-adds-jobs/.
