Department of Numbers

Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Brownsville rose 0.1 percentage points in March 2023 to 5.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.7 percentage points higher than the Texas rate. The unemployment rate in Brownsville peaked in April 2020 at 16.1% and is now 10.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.4% in October 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Brownsville unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
Texas 4.0% 0.0 +0.1
Brownsville 5.7% +0.1 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Brownsville, Texas, National

Brownsville, Texas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Brownsville, Texas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Brownsville peaked in April 2020 at 26,088. There are now 15,866 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,703 in October 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 519. Brownsville employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Brownsville, Texas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Brownsville 10,222 +248 -168

Number of Unemployed Persons

Brownsville, Texas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Texas
Unemployment Rate
Brownsville
Unemployment Rate
Brownsville
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 4.0% 5.7% 10,222
February
2023
3.6% 4.0% 5.6% 9,974
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 5.5% 9,752
December
2022
3.5% 3.8% 5.5% 9,722
November
2022
3.6% 3.8% 5.5% 9,715
October
2022
3.7% 3.9% 5.4% 9,703
September
2022
3.5% 3.8% 5.5% 9,707
August
2022
3.7% 3.7% 5.5% 9,728
July
2022
3.5% 3.8% 5.5% 9,768
June
2022
3.6% 3.8% 5.6% 9,850
May
2022
3.6% 3.8% 5.6% 9,993

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.