Department of Numbers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Houston fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 4.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Texas rate. The unemployment rate in Houston peaked in April 2020 at 13.9% and is now 9.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.1% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Houston unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Texas 4.1% 0.0 +0.3
Houston 4.4% 0.0 +0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Houston, Texas, National

Houston, Texas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Houston, Texas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Houston peaked in April 2020 at 454,548. There are now 296,582 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 143,152 in November 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 14,814. Houston employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Houston, Texas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Houston 157,966 -3,116 +14,814

Number of Unemployed Persons

Houston, Texas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Texas
Unemployment Rate
Houston
Unemployment Rate
Houston
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 4.1% 4.4% 157,966
October
2023
3.8% 4.1% 4.4% 161,082
September
2023
3.8% 4.1% 4.5% 161,798
August
2023
3.8% 4.1% 4.5% 161,387
July
2023
3.5% 4.1% 4.4% 158,915
June
2023
3.6% 4.1% 4.4% 157,171
May
2023
3.7% 4.1% 4.4% 158,068
April
2023
3.4% 4.0% 4.3% 154,059
March
2023
3.5% 4.0% 4.3% 152,457
February
2023
3.6% 4.0% 4.2% 148,406
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 4.1% 144,028

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.