LOCAL JOBLESS RATE RISES AT START OF 2015

  

Washington County’s jobless rate rose in the first month of 2015, but remains lower than the rate at this same time last year.

The rate for January of 4.1-percent rose 6-tenths-of-a-percent compared to December’s rate of 3.5-percent.  The rate, however, remains below the rate one year-ago of 4.9-percent.

Figures from the Texas Workforce Commission show the county’s labor force last month was 15,557, with 645 unemployed. In December, the labor force was 15,632, and unemployment totaled 548 people. The January 2014 labor force was 15,585, with 771 jobless.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent in January down from 4.6 percent in December 2014.

Jobless rates for surrounding counties also rose in January: Austin County increased 4-tenths to 4.2 percent; Brazos County was up 7-tenths to 3.6 percent; Burleson County jumped one full percent to 4.3 percent; Fayette County inched up 3-tenths to 3.2 percent; Grimes County increased, 8-tenths to 4.6 percent; Lee County was up 7-tenthes to 3.6 percent; and, Waller County, also jumped 7-tenths to 4.5 percent.