Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Texas

Written by:
November 15, 2022
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Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Texas

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as bandy around the idea of a by 2023. The last economic recession鈥攖he Great Recession of 2008-2010鈥攕ent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate , ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Texas using data from the . Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

#50. Hutchinson County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 8,087 (362 unemployed)

#49. Live Oak County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 4,698 (211 unemployed)

#48. Scurry County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 5,768 (258 unemployed)

#47. Walker County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 23,282 (1,058 unemployed)

#46. Brazoria County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 184,878 (8,506 unemployed)

#45. Grimes County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 10,924 (504 unemployed)

#44. Red River County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 5,388 (246 unemployed)

#43. Dawson County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 4,374 (205 unemployed)

#42. Nueces County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 162,875 (7,678 unemployed)

#41. Real County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 1,064 (50 unemployed)

#40. Garza County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: +0.4%
- Total labor force: 1,976 (95 unemployed)

#39. Kleberg County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 12,816 (618 unemployed)

#38. Marion County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 4,233 (205 unemployed)

#37. Cochran County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 1,038 (51 unemployed)

#36. Kinney County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 1,175 (57 unemployed)

#35. Kenedy County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 179 (9 unemployed)

#34. San Jacinto County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 11,977 (602 unemployed)

#33. Sutton County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 1,080 (54 unemployed)

#32. Wilbarger County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 4,673 (233 unemployed)

#31. Leon County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 6,067 (315 unemployed)

#30. Hardin County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 24,711 (1,320 unemployed)

#29. Jim Hogg County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.5%
- Total labor force: 1,787 (95 unemployed)

#28. Trinity County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 5,205 (278 unemployed)

#27. Aransas County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 9,248 (498 unemployed)

#26. Crane County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.5%
- Total labor force: 1,557 (84 unemployed)

#25. Freestone County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 6,131 (333 unemployed)

#24. Chambers County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 21,107 (1,163 unemployed)

#23. Polk County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 18,401 (1,045 unemployed)

#22. Cameron County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 173,872 (10,108 unemployed)

#21. Tyler County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 7,439 (432 unemployed)

#20. Brooks County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 2,426 (145 unemployed)

#19. Liberty County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 35,385 (2,107 unemployed)

#18. Orange County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 34,651 (2,069 unemployed)

#17. Jim Wells County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.8%
- Total labor force: 15,228 (933 unemployed)

#16. Bee County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 8,671 (547 unemployed)

#15. Presidio County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 3,111 (196 unemployed)

#14. San Augustine County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 2,965 (188 unemployed)

#13. San Patricio County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 29,090 (1,838 unemployed)

#12. Jasper County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.5%
- Total labor force: 12,726 (821 unemployed)

#11. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 100,613 (6,650 unemployed)

#10. Matagorda County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 16,153 (1,067 unemployed)

#9. Hidalgo County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 368,071 (24,661 unemployed)

#8. Morris County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 4,370 (303 unemployed)

#7. Newton County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 4,830 (334 unemployed)

#6. Sabine County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 3,985 (274 unemployed)

#5. Maverick County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 22,511 (1,616 unemployed)

#4. Zapata County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -3.5%
- Total labor force: 4,479 (324 unemployed)

#3. Willacy County

- Current unemployment rate: 8.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 7,040 (571 unemployed)

#2. Zavala County

- Current unemployment rate: 8.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 3,195 (277 unemployed)

#1. Starr County

- Current unemployment rate: 11.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.8%
- Total labor force: 23,483 (2,712 unemployed)

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