Texas unemployment rose in October to 4.4 percent

AUSTIN The Texas unemployment rate for October rose to 4.4 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported, as declines in oil and manufacturing employment led to slower overall job growth.

The state’s jobless rate increased from 4.2 percent in September, still well below the U.S. rate of 5.0 percent last month.

Workforce commission officials say Amarillo had the lowest statewide unemployment rate during October at 3.2 percent. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area had the highest jobless rate in Texas at 7.4 percent.

Unemployment in Dallas-Fort Worth was 4.0 percent, up from 3.9 percent in September, with Fort Worth-Arlington reporting a slightly higher rate of 4.2 percent.

Texas employers added 20,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in October, marking the eighth month of 2015 with jobs added.

The state said service-providing industries led gains with 12,400 jobs added in leisure and hospitality businesses and 3,300 in professional and business services. On the negative side, state state lost 4.800 manufacturing jobs and 2,000 in mining and logging, which includes the oil and gas industry.

The number of employed in Fort Worth-Arlington declined by 2,000 from September while employment on the east side of the Metroplex in Dallas-Plano-Irving increased by 9,400.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Texas unemployment rose in October to 4.4 percent."