LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
While
Angelina County's January unemployment rate of 7.1 percent was slightly higher
than the statewide unemployment rate of 6.9 percent, Nacogdoches County's
jobless rate of 6.6 percent was under that mark. Both counties' jobless rates
improved by one-tenth of a percent compared to last year.
In the
12-county region that makes up the Texas Workforce Commission's Deep East Texas
Workforce Development Area, the unemployment rate for the month of January was
8.4 percent.
According
to the TWC, 11.8 million people of 12.7 million-person workforce were employed
in the month of January. The statewide jobless rate of 6.9 percent was up from
the 6 percent reported in December 2012 and down from the unemployment rate of
7.5 percent reported in January 2012.
Nacogdoches
County had the lowest jobless rate in the Deep East Texas WDA, but it was up
one-tenth of a percent compared to last year. In all, 28,621 of a workforce of
30,642 were employed during the month of January. Last month, Nacogdoches
County had a jobless rate of 5.7 percent, and in January of 2012, the county
had a 6.5 percent unemployment rate.
In
Angelina County, the labor force was 39,589. Of that number, 36,796 were
employed in January. The county had a 6.2 percent jobless rate in December
2012. Compared to January 2012, Angelina County's unemployment rate improved by
one-tenth, going from 7.2 percent to 7.1 percent.
Within
the Deep East Texas WDA, Sabine County had the highest unemployment rate - 16.6
percent. That figure is up from the 15.5 percent reported in December 2012 and
the 16.4 percent reported a year ago.
Lufkin's
jobless rate of 6.7 percent was an improvement over the 7.4 percent reported in
January 2012. The workforce totaled 15,871, and of that number, 14,803 were
employed during the month of January. The January jobless rate was up from the
5.9 percent posted in December 2012.
The Oldest
Town in Texas saw its jobless rate increase slightly compared to January 2012,
going from 6.5 percent last year to 6.9 percent in January. Nacogdoches had a
workforce of 15,944. Of that number, 14,844 were employed in January. The
January jobless rate was also up from the 6 percent reported in December 2012.
Here are
the unemployment figures for the other counties in the Deep East Texas WDA.
Last year's jobless rates will be listed in parenthesis.
- Houston County:
9.6 percent (7.2 percent)
- Jasper County:
10.8 percent (10.9 percent)
- Newton County:
12.9 percent (12.4 percent)
- Polk County: 8.8
percent (9.2 percent)
- San Augustine County:
11.3 percent (11.5 percent)
- San Jacinto
County: 8.2 percent (9.4 percent)
- Shelby County:
7.1 percent (6.6 percent)
- Trinity County:
8.2 percent (9.1 percent)
- Tyler County:
10.9 percent (10.8 percent)
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