Even though Texas added jobs, the unemployment rate increased to 4.4 percent in October, up from 4.2 percent in September, but still more than a half-point lower than the national average.
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In SC, the unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent in October from 5.7 percent in September, the state Commerce Department said Friday in a separate report.
North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in October at 2.8 percent.
Last October, the state’s unemployment rate was at 7.2 percent. The national unemployment rate was 5 percent last month. Seven major industry sectors reported job growth, as four sectors declined.
County numbers are not adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, but they are still lower than the state’s overall unemployment rate. The largest year-over-year job gains have occurred in the education and health services, leisure and hospitality and construction sectors. Scott called it the “highest month for job growth in 10 years”. That’s up 6.7% over the year, the biggest percentage growth among the local business sectors. “The wage and salary employment is at its highest level for the year”.
Initial jobless claims – which represent the number of unemployment benefit filings made by Americans who either recently separated from a job or had not yet registered for assistance programs – clocked in at 271,000 last week.
The number for September initially showed a slight gain of only 8,200 jobs, which sparked concern that the economic expansion of the state could be starting to slow down.
The unemployment rate for prime-age workers, ages 25 to 54, ticked up from 4.2 percent in September.
Wichita continued to have the highest rate, at 4.3 percent.
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Other areas showing gains: professional/business services/administrative support (up 8,300), wholesale and retail trade (up 4,500) and entertainment (up 1,400). There were 153,000 manufacturing jobs in October, down 3,900 from a year ago. If anything, holiday hiring has been a little more pronounced this year with sales activity coming earlier, Englehart said.
