The Texas economy added 23,500 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in July, which marked 25 consecutive months of employment growth. Over the year, Texas added 377,100 jobs for an annual employment growth rate of 3.1 percent. Private-sector employers added 25,900 positions over the month. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.0 percent in July, unchanged from June 2018. July’s annual growth in the state’s Goods Producing industries was strong at 6.2 percent.

Over the month, Construction led all major industries, adding 10,500 jobs. In Texas’ Service Providing sector, Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 7,500 positions over the month. Also within this sector, Education and Health Services added 6,400 jobs, followed by Leisure and Hospitality with a gain of 5,700 positions. The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.2 percent, followed by the Amarillo and Odessa MSAs with a rate of 2.9 percent, each. The Austin-Round Rock MSA recorded the fourth lowest rate of 3.1 percent for July.