McAllen Keeps Growing Jobs; Jobless Rate Lowest In Region

McAllen has grown more than 2,000 jobs since this time last year indicating that the city’s economy remains robust, is still expanding and is reflective of the lowest unemployment rate in the region, according to a Texas Workforce Commission report.

The report, which released the latest job market numbers for cities and counties in Texas from April 2010, shows McAllen’s unemployment rate has dropped three of the first four months this year. McAllen’s 7.7 percent unemployment rate is the lowest this year (from 8.1 in January).

And the city keeps growing jobs. The 59,255 people employed in McAllen in April 2010 are the most in city’s history and are 2,018 more than April 2009 – and 805 more than in March of this year. The numbers are consistent with over all state growth as Texas added 32,500 non-agricultural jobs in April.

McAllen’s 7.7 city unemployment rate is lower than all major Rio Grande Valley municipalities and lower than other major cities such as Houston (8.3), Laredo (8.4), Fort Worth (8.5), El Paso (8.6), Dallas (8.7), and Beaumont (9.6).

Hidalgo County, which has the highest unemployment rate among metro areas in Texas at 11.1 percent, also grew jobs and dropped its unemployment rate for the fourth month in a row (12.2 in January). Hidalgo County has about 9,400 more people working than it did in April of 2009.

Texas’ unemployment rate rose slightly in April to 8.3 percent. The national unemployment rate is 9.9 percent.