Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Texas
Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons
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 economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 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 a rather sizable spectrum, 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, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Texas using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Adavyd // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Patrick Feller from Humble, Texas, USA // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Michael Barera // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
25or6to4 // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Renelibrary // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
25or6to4 // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Kenedy County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: +0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 179 (9 unemployed)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Talshiarr // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Wrbalusek // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
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#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Distrito Medico Monterrey // Flickr
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ M.D. // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Matthew T Rader // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons
#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)
