despite a struggling oil sector, most Texas cities are still flying high according to The Wall Street Journal’s Real Time Economics blog.
Many local economies across the Lone Star State are still seeing job gains and steady or falling unemployment. Major cities like Austin, Dallas, El Paso and San Antonio all saw joblessness decline on the year. All but three metro areas in the state saw payrolls increase. At 3.2 percent, Amarillo has the lowest unemployment rate in the state.
The statewide unemployment rate of 4.6% was unchanged from a year earlier. Texas has remained below the national average of 5 percent for 16 consecutive months. However, hiring has slowed across Texas this year. The service sector was largely responsible for keeping Texas out of a recession. Particularly strong were the health care and leisure-and-hospitality industries.