Rural Capital Area Unemployment Rate Drops to 2.9% in August
Sep 20, 2019
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area
CEDAR PARK, Texas ⎯ The unemployment rate in the Rural Capital Area of Central Texas saw improvement in August. According to figures released by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the unadjusted unemployment rate in August for the nine-county workforce development area was 2.9 percent, down from 3.0 percent in July, and below the 3.2 percent experienced a year earlier in August 2018. The 2.9 percent unemployment rate represented 15,960 residents seeking employment. The region’s unemployment rate remained lower than both the Texas (3.6 percent)* and national (3.8 percent)* rates, which saw drops in August.
The Rural Capital Area’s 1.95 percent annual employment growth rate represented the addition of 10,043 jobs since August 2018.
Within the Rural Capital Area counties, Blanco recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 2.5 percent in August. Fayette County’s unemployment rate was at 2.7 percent, Burnet, Hays, Lee and Williamson counties were at 2.9 percent, Bastrop was at 3.1 percent, and Caldwell County was at 3.4 percent, while Llano County was at 3.5 percent.
Key Points by Industry for the Rural Capital Area, according to the most recent labor market data:
- The Information Services Industry has experienced the greatest quarterly employment growth with an increase of 10.3 percent.
- Job gains were also experienced in the Professional and Business Services Industry (2.9 percent), and the Manufacturing Industry (2.5 percent).
- The Professional and Business Services Industry in the Rural Capital Area also experienced the greatest positive annual job growth with an increase of 10.8 percent.
- Significant positive annual job growth was also experienced in the Natural Resources and Mining Industry (9.5 percent), the Manufacturing Industry (8.5 percent), and the Information Services Industry (6.8 percent).
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.
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area is a nonprofit community partnership providing no cost recruitment, employment services and child care assistance, to businesses and job seekers in the Rural Capital Area of central Texas. This nine-county region includes Bastrop; Blanco; Burnet; Caldwell; Fayette; Hays; Lee; Llano; and Williamson counties. For more details on WSRCA, and the services it offers, visit www.workforcesolutionsrca.com.
*All unemployment rates listed are not seasonally adjusted.
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