Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.8 percent, setting a new record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in four decades. The Texas economy added 54,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in November. Annual employment growth for Texas increased to 2.7 percent in November, marking 91 consecutive months of annual growth.

Nine of eleven major industries showed increased growth in November, including Professional and Business Services with 14,700 jobs added and Construction which added 8,200 positions. Leisure and Hospitality employment continued to grow by adding 8,000 jobs in November. Employment in Education and Health Services increased by 8,200 positions. Over the year, this industry has gained 40,400 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment grew by 8,200 jobs, and Manufacturing industry jobs increased by 2,700 positions.

Private-sector employers added 52,000 jobs in November and have accounted for the addition of 294,600 positions in Texas over the past year. The Amarillo and Midland Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.6 percent, followed by the Austin-Round Rock, College Station-Bryan and Lubbock MSAs with a rate of 2.7 percent. The San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA registered a rate of 3.0 percent for November.