Texas Unemployment Rate Hits 7.1 Percent

DALLAS (CN) - Texas' unemployment rate rose to 7.1 percent in May, below the national unemployment rate of 9.4 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported on Friday. Texas recorded a net loss of 222,600 jobs in the past year - the nation has lost 5.4 million jobs in that time.

The state added some jobs in education in health care, though employers cut 24,700 nonagricultural jobs in May - nearly all of them in manufacturing and construction.

It was the seventh consecutive month of job losses for the state. "The Texas unemployment rate continued to follow the national unemployment rate's upward trend," said TWC Chairman Tom Pauken. "Few industries were spared in May as Texas employers continued to report job losses. Continued unemployment claims increased in Texas as well."

The hardest hit industries for the month were manufacturing, which lost 12,800 jobs, followed by construction, which lost 10,400.

"Texas workers are facing a tight job market as employers across most industries reported job losses in May," said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton.

The Lubbock metropolitan area had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 4.6 percent. Amarillo recorded the second-lowest at 4.7 percent. Bryan-College Station was third-lowest at 4.9 percent.

Dallas/Fort Worth had an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent in May, while Houston reported 6.9 percent, Austin reported 6.1 percent and San Antonio 5.8 percent.

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