Houston Losing More Jobs Than Creating

HOUSTON - The Texas unemployment rate climbed to 6.5 percent in February, still well below the 8.1 percent national unemployment rate, the Texas Workforce Commission said Thursday. However, reports indicate that for the first time in five year, the Houston economy is losing more jobs than its creating.

Although the state's unemployment rate rose slightly from 6.4 percent in January, it was a big leap from the 4.5 percent in February 2008.

Texas dropped 46,100 nonagricultural jobs in February. In January, the state lost 55,900 jobs overall, according to the commission's revised numbers. Over the past 12 months Texas recorded a net job loss of 62,600.

"Texans are facing tough economic times now with significant statewide job losses," commission chairman Tom Pauken said. "However, the Texas unemployment rate remains far below that of other large states and the nation as a whole."

Other industries experiencing significant job losses include professional and business services (down 27,000 jobs) and construction (15,500 jobs).

Meanwhile, 14,700 jobs were added in education and health services in February, for an industry gain of 58,600 new positions in the past year.

Employment grew by 1,600 in mining and logging in February, for a total of 15,700 jobs over the last 12 months.

The commission said its increasing assistance to those looking for work but the growing job losses make unemployment more challenging, said Ronny Congleton, the commissioner who represents labor.

The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area experienced the highest unemployment rate in Texas at 9.6 percent (not seasonally adjusted) while Midland experienced the lowest, at 3.9 percent rate.

Unemployment rates are adjusted for seasonal trends in hiring and firing, which most economists believe gives a better picture of the job market.

Without the seasonal adjustment, the Texas unemployment rate rose to 6.6 percent in February from 6.8 percent in January and 4.4 percent a year ago.

Following are the preliminary February jobless rates for local areas in Texas, with revised January numbers in parentheses. The local figures are not seasonally adjusted.

Abilene 5.0 (5.1)
Amarillo 4.5 (4.6)
Austin-Round Rock 6.3 (6.4)
Beaumont-Port Arthur 8.5 (8.8)
Brownsville-Harlingen 9.3 (9.5)
College Station-Bryan 4.8 (5.1)
Corpus Christi 6.0 (6.1)
Dallas-Plano-Irving 7.0 (7.1)
El Paso 8.2 (8.3)
Fort Worth-Arlington 6.9 (7.0)
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 6.4 (6.5)
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 6.1 (6.5)
Laredo 7.4 (7.3)
Longview 6.0 (5.8)
Lubbock 4.5 (4.7)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 9.6 (10.1)
Midland 3.9 (3.8)
Odessa 5.3 (4.9)
San Angelo 5.4 (5.7)
San Antonio 6.0 (6.3)
Sherman-Denison 7.1 (7.4)
Texarkana 5.7 (5.8)
Tyler 6.6 (6.8)
Victoria 5.9 (5.9)
Waco 5.8 (5.9)
Wichita Falls 6.7 (6.8)