southeast texas – The number of people who are employed in Southeast Texas increased by more than 4,000 from last year, but the number of unemployed increased by more than 1,500, according to the monthly jobs report released today by the Texas Workforce Commission.

The unemployment rate for the Beaumont-Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Jefferson, Hardin, Orange and Newton Counties, was 5.8 percent in October, the highest in Texas and up 0.7 percent from October 2023, but down from 6% in September 2024.

Midland has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.8 percent.

The number of employees increased by 4,376 from October 2023 to October 2024. The number of unemployed increased by 1,503 over the same time period.

You can check HERE for labor market information, including Southeast Texas and any other area that is measured. Check HERE for specific information about Southeast Texas.

The Texas labor market hit a new record in October for the number of people in the civilian labor force. After adding 47,300 people during the month, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force reached a new record of 15,497,100. This marks the tenth consecutive month of growth for the Texas civilian workforce. During the year, Texas’ civilian labor force added 360,800 people.

Total seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Texas fell slightly to 14,276,300 after a 10,600-job decline in the month. However, Texas added 274,600 jobs from October 2023 to October 2024. Texas’ annual nonfarm payrolls growth rate is currently 2.0%, outpacing the U.S. growth rate by 0.6 percentage points .

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas was steady at 4.1 percent.

“Continued growth in the Texas workforce is helping to create opportunities for both employers and job seekers,” said TWC President Bryan Daniel. “TWC will continue to provide training solutions – from high school programs to advanced skills development – ​​to help meet our state’s workforce needs.”

The Financial Activities industry posted the largest month-over-month gain in October, adding 6,200 jobs. The industry also grew 3.1 percent over the year in Texas and outpaced the national growth rate by 2.8 percentage points. In addition, Leisure and Hospitality added 4,900 jobs during the month and Information added 1,900. Manufacturing added 1,900 jobs during the month.

“Texas has seen remarkable growth in the workforce, with more than 360,000 people joining the civilian workforce in the past year,” said TWC Labor Representative Alberto Treviño III. “TWC offers a wide variety of training programs and resources to help Texans acquire new skills and achieve their career goals in our robust Texas economy.”

The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a seasonally adjusted rate of 2.8% in October, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 3.1% and the College Station-Bryan MSA at 3 .2%.

“With the addition of 47,300 Texans to the civilian workforce, Texas employers have access to an expanding and diverse talent pool,” said TWC Employer Representative Joe Esparza. “TWC and our 28 Workforce Solutions partners are committed to ensuring Texas businesses have the tools they need to succeed in our fast-growing economy.”

Employment estimates published by TWC are produced in cooperation with the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. *All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit