LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASES TO KICK OF 2021

  

Washington County’s jobless rate increased nearly a full percentage point during the month of January.

The county’s jobless rate opened the year at 6.6-percent, an increase over the 5.7-percent rate in December.

According to information from the Texas Workforce Commission, a total of 139 more local people lost jobs in January.  A total of 1,021 individuals are still reportedly unemployed in the county.

The county’s employment numbers fell from 14,744 in December 2020 to 14,497 in January 2021 while the civilian labor force dropped from 15,583 in December 2020 to 15,518 in January 2021.

Statewide, Texas added 30,800 total nonagricultural jobs over the month, marking the ninth consecutive month of job growth.  The Texas unemployment rate for January 2021 was 6.8%, down from 6.9% in December 2020.