Texas Unemployment Rate Down Again in July, Below US Unemployment Rate
Hopkins County continued in July to have a lower unemployment rate than the state and national rates, and even below the overall 7.2 percent unemployment rate for the 9-county North East Texas Workforce Development Area (WDA) within which the county is located. In fact, Hopkins County had the lowest July 2020 unemployment rate in the entire Northeast Texas WDA.
Texas’ unemployment rate declined from 8.7 percent in June 2020 to 8.2 percent in July 2020, with a seasonably adjusted rate of 8.0 percent. The United States’ seasonably adjusted unemployment rate is 10.2 percent, down from 11.1 percent in June 2020, Texas Workforce Commission and Workforce Solutions of Northeast Texas reported Friday morning.
“July’s unemployment numbers continue to show the underlying strength of Texans and our economy,” said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel. “TWC remains committed to our goal of creating skills enhancement and career opportunities for Texans to continue to keep Texas as the top state to live and work.”
Hopkins County’s unemployment rate fell from 5.7 percent in June 2020, when 939 people out of the 16,604 labor force were unemployed, to 5.4 percent in July when 898 people out of a labor force of 16,739 were unemployed. The 5.4 percent unemployment rate is still 3.1 percent higher than in July 2019, when 575 people from the overall 17,551 labor force in Hopkins County were seeking employment, according to Labor Market Information data.
Hopkins County’s unemployment rose in March, when COVID-19 began spreading across the state, country and world, to 4.5 percent, with 784 people unemployed in March. That spike followed a steady unemployment rate of 3.2 percent in January and February. The unemployment rate in Hopkins County peaked at 8.4 percent in April, when many businesses were required to closed due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed at the state and national level. These spikes followed a steady unemployment rate of 3.2 percent in January and February.
Hopkins County’s July 2020 unemployment rate of 5.4 percent was the lowest unemployment rate in the North East Texas Workforce Development Area (WDA), as was the case in June 2020 and in July 2019.
Franklin and Delta Counties had the next lowest unemployment rates in July 2020 in the North East Texas WDA. Franklin County’s unemployment rate declined from 6.2 percent in June 2020 to 5.7 percent in July 2020, which is still 1.7 percent higher than in July 2019. Delta County’s unemployment dropped from 6.1 percent in June 2020 to 5.8 percent in July 2020, which is 2.2 percent higher than in July 2019.
In Red River County, unemployment fell from 7.3 percent in June 2020 to 6.8 percent in July 2020, up from 4.9 percent in 2019.
Around the Workforce Development Area, only one county experienced a rise in unemployment last month. Morris County’s unemployment rate rose from 12.1 percent in June 2020 to 12.4 percent in July 2020, according to LAUS data.
The Texas economy lost 12,300 private sector positions over the past month. In July, the government sector offset private employment losses, by adding 43,700 jobs. Professional and business services added 16,400 positions, and education and health services added 10,300 positions over the month, according to TWC. Texas added 31,400 non-farm positions in July.
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.
