Monthly update: Unemployment

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According to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the unemployment rate in the Houston, Texas, metro area and the rest of the country increased slightly in May. Houston’s unemployment rate rose from 3.8% in April to 4.0% in May, Texas’ unemployment rate rose from 3.5% to 3.8%, and the U.S. unemployment rate rose from 3.5% to 3.7%. .

There were 147,447 Houstonians unemployed and looking for work in May, up from 139,292 in April but down from 150,740 in May of last year. TWC estimates Houston’s labor force at 3,689,928 people, an increase of about 86,000 from last year.

Among metro area cities for which TWC publishes unemployment rates, College Station had the lowest rate in May and Port Arthur the highest.

Initial applications for unemployment benefits have increased in recent months, but there is no cause for alarm. Losses typically increase, albeit slightly, in early summer, then decrease as fall approaches. The average for early June this year is actually 16.3% lower than claims for the comparable period of 23.

Continuing claims filed by workers who have been unemployed for a week or more increased slightly in May and are 4,300 more than in May of last year. However, continuing claims remain well below the July 2020 peak of 276,000. The approximately 33,000 people who filed continuing claims in May represent less than 1 percent of the region’s civilian workforce.

Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research

Patrick Jankowski, CERP
Chief Economist
Senior Vice President, Research
[email protected]

Clara Richardson
Associate Analyst, Research
[email protected]