Texas Adds 77,800 Jobs in February, Unemployment Rate Declines to 4.7 Percent
AUSTIN — In February, Texas added 77,800 total nonagricultural jobs, making gains in 21 of the last 22 months. For the month, the state exceeded the previous record employment level set in January 2022 by reaching 13,184,100 jobs in February 2022. Texas has added a total of 832,200 positions since February 2021. The seasonally adjusted Texas unemployment rate for February 2022 was 4.7 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from January 2022.
“February marks the fourth consecutive month of record-setting employment levels in Texas,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “This continued growth highlights the strength of our Texas economy and signals significant opportunities for Texans in the Lone Star State.”
In February, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities gained 18,200 jobs over the month. Leisure and Hospitality added 17,400 positions. Also of note, Professional and Business Services employment grew by 16,800 jobs.
“Opportunities for Texas’ workforce to find meaningful employment continue to grow each month,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “While we continue to add positions each month in our labor market, TWC is here to support job seekers with the training and career development tools they need to succeed.”
The Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded February’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.3 percent, followed by Amarillo at 3.4 percent, then College Station-Bryan at 3.5 percent.
“Texas’ continued job growth is a true testament to the vitality of our Texas employers and our unrivaled business climate,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “TWC remains committed to supporting our Texas employers by connecting them to our world-class Texas talent pipeline, offering unparalleled access to training resources, and ensuring they have the proper tools to thrive.”
Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 15, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
| February 2022 | January 2022 | February 2021 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 163,725.0 | 156,942.0 | 6,782.0 | 4.1 | 162,825.0 | 155,618.0 | 7,207.0 | 4.4 | 160,008.0 | 149,522.0 | 10,486.0 | 6.6 |
| Texas | 14,540.8 | 13,855.2 | 685.6 | 4.7 | 14,385.6 | 13,691.4 | 694.2 | 4.8 | 14,144.0 | 13,176.3 | 967.7 | 6.8 |
| Abilene | 80.3 | 77.2 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 79.4 | 76.4 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 79.0 | 74.8 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
| Amarillo | 135.9 | 131.3 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 134.4 | 129.9 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 134.2 | 128.0 | 6.2 | 4.6 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,348.7 | 1,303.8 | 44.9 | 3.3 | 1,335.7 | 1,291.2 | 44.5 | 3.3 | 1,276.8 | 1,212.0 | 64.8 | 5.1 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 168.1 | 154.7 | 13.5 | 8.0 | 167.2 | 153.1 | 14.2 | 8.5 | 168.3 | 149.6 | 18.7 | 11.1 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 177.5 | 164.4 | 13.0 | 7.3 | 176.0 | 162.6 | 13.3 | 7.6 | 176.1 | 159.0 | 17.1 | 9.7 |
| College Station-Bryan | 141.9 | 136.9 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 138.3 | 133.2 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 137.4 | 130.5 | 6.9 | 5.0 |
| Corpus Christi | 204.7 | 191.7 | 12.9 | 6.3 | 202.2 | 188.8 | 13.4 | 6.6 | 203.1 | 185.9 | 17.2 | 8.5 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,209.4 | 4,037.2 | 172.2 | 4.1 | 4,177.6 | 4,005.1 | 172.5 | 4.1 | 4,055.7 | 3,805.3 | 250.4 | 6.2 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,857.1 | 2,741.6 | 115.5 | 4.0 | 2,836.2 | 2,720.6 | 115.5 | 4.1 | 2,743.0 | 2,576.4 | 166.6 | 6.1 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,352.3 | 1,295.7 | 56.7 | 4.2 | 1,341.4 | 1,284.5 | 56.9 | 4.2 | 1,312.8 | 1,229.0 | 83.8 | 6.4 |
| El Paso | 369.4 | 350.0 | 19.4 | 5.3 | 367.1 | 347.5 | 19.7 | 5.4 | 368.5 | 340.7 | 27.7 | 7.5 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,498.2 | 3,313.6 | 184.6 | 5.3 | 3,456.4 | 3,267.5 | 188.8 | 5.5 | 3,411.5 | 3,152.1 | 259.3 | 7.6 |
| Killeen-Temple | 184.6 | 175.5 | 9.1 | 4.9 | 182.2 | 173.1 | 9.1 | 5.0 | 180.8 | 168.7 | 12.1 | 6.7 |
| Laredo | 118.7 | 112.4 | 6.3 | 5.3 | 117.8 | 111.4 | 6.4 | 5.4 | 116.0 | 107.0 | 9.0 | 7.7 |
| Longview | 97.1 | 91.9 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 96.4 | 91.2 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 95.8 | 88.6 | 7.3 | 7.6 |
| Lubbock | 169.3 | 163.0 | 6.3 | 3.7 | 166.9 | 160.6 | 6.2 | 3.7 | 166.1 | 157.3 | 8.8 | 5.3 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 373.5 | 342.1 | 31.4 | 8.4 | 369.7 | 336.5 | 33.2 | 9.0 | 367.4 | 327.4 | 40.0 | 10.9 |
| Midland | 104.7 | 100.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 103.3 | 98.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 100.2 | 92.9 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Odessa | 81.7 | 76.7 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 81.3 | 76.1 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 80.6 | 72.0 | 8.6 | 10.7 |
| San Angelo | 55.6 | 53.4 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 54.8 | 52.5 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 55.1 | 51.9 | 3.2 | 5.8 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,238.5 | 1,186.1 | 52.5 | 4.2 | 1,223.2 | 1,170.6 | 52.6 | 4.3 | 1,200.4 | 1,124.8 | 75.6 | 6.3 |
| Sherman-Denison | 66.7 | 64.0 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 66.1 | 63.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 65.3 | 61.7 | 3.6 | 5.5 |
| Texarkana | 64.5 | 61.3 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 63.6 | 60.4 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 63.1 | 58.9 | 4.2 | 6.6 |
| Tyler | 111.4 | 106.6 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 110.1 | 105.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 110.0 | 103.1 | 6.9 | 6.3 |
| Victoria | 44.2 | 41.8 | 2.4 | 5.4 | 43.9 | 41.4 | 2.4 | 5.6 | 44.3 | 40.9 | 3.4 | 7.7 |
| Waco | 132.2 | 126.9 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 130.7 | 125.3 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 127.5 | 120.1 | 7.4 | 5.8 |
| Wichita Falls | 64.4 | 61.6 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 63.9 | 61.0 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 64.9 | 60.7 | 4.1 | 6.3 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Feb 2022* | Jan 2022 | Feb 2021 | Jan ’22 to Feb ’22 | Feb ’21 to Feb ’22 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 13,184,100 | 13,106,300 | 12,351,900 | 77,800 | 0.6 | 832,200 | 6.7 |
| Total Private | 11,210,300 | 11,125,600 | 10,409,000 | 84,700 | 0.8 | 801,300 | 7.7 |
| Goods Producing | 1,855,800 | 1,839,100 | 1,747,800 | 16,700 | 0.9 | 108,000 | 6.2 |
| Mining and Logging | 197,800 | 193,300 | 174,300 | 4,500 | 2.3 | 23,500 | 13.5 |
| Construction | 761,400 | 755,500 | 713,200 | 5,900 | 0.8 | 48,200 | 6.8 |
| Manufacturing | 896,600 | 890,300 | 860,300 | 6,300 | 0.7 | 36,300 | 4.2 |
| Service Providing | 11,328,300 | 11,267,200 | 10,604,100 | 61,100 | 0.5 | 724,200 | 6.8 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,665,500 | 2,647,300 | 2,517,100 | 18,200 | 0.7 | 148,400 | 5.9 |
| Information | 220,900 | 221,200 | 200,200 | -300 | -0.1 | 20,700 | 10.3 |
| Financial Activities | 868,900 | 858,800 | 813,000 | 10,100 | 1.2 | 55,900 | 6.9 |
| Professional and Business Services | 1,997,500 | 1,980,700 | 1,817,800 | 16,800 | 0.8 | 179,700 | 9.9 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,764,600 | 1,757,400 | 1,704,500 | 7,200 | 0.4 | 60,100 | 3.5 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,402,300 | 1,384,900 | 1,209,100 | 17,400 | 1.3 | 193,200 | 16.0 |
| Other Services | 434,800 | 436,200 | 399,500 | -1,400 | -0.3 | 35,300 | 8.8 |
| Government | 1,973,800 | 1,980,700 | 1,942,900 | -6,900 | -0.3 | 30,900 | 1.6 |
The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.