WASHINGTON COUNTY HAS LOWEST UNEMPLPOYMENT RATE IN FIVE YEARS

  

There was another drop in the unemployment rate in Washington County for the month of December.  This time however, with a drop from 4.5 percent in November to 4.1 percent in December, the county has the lowest unemployment rate since the onset of the worldwide economic crisis five years ago.  This was the fourth consecutive month the Washington County unemployment rate has dropped.  The unemployment rate usually drops in December but Clint Kolby, the project manager for the Economic Development Foundation found this news especially encouraging. 

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Washington County’s jobless rate averaged just under five percent for the entire year and its labor force was averaging 17,581 workers.

The surrounding counties also showed improvement on the jobless front.

Austin County’s jobless rate fell to 4.8 percent from 5.2 percent.  Burleson County had a 4.4 jobless rate in December, down from 4.6 percent in November.   Fayette County’s jobless rate fell to 3.7 percent, down from 4 percent in November.  Grimes County had a slight drop in its unemployment rate to 5.4 percent, it had been 5.5 percent in November. Lee County had a 4.1 jobless rate down from 4.2 percent.  Waller County also recorded a drop in its unemployment rate from 5.3 percent in November to 5.1 percent in December.   

The jobless figures for the entire state also looked very good.  The state recorded a 6.1 percent rate recorded in December  was significantly lower than the nationwide rate of 6.7 percent.

Over the month, nine of the 11 major industries in Texas added jobs.  The Texas Workforce Commission says trade, transportation and utilities expanded by 8100 jobs.