Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Houston fell 0.1 percentage points in February 2019 to 4.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points higher than the Texas rate. The unemployment rate in Houston peaked in December 2009 at 8.5% and is now 4.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.9% in October 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Houston unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.2	-0.3
Texas	3.8%	0.0	-0.3
Houston	4.2%	-0.1	-0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2019 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Houston, Texas, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Houston, Texas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Houston peaked in March 2010 at 249,550. There are now 106,277 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 134,795 in October 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 8,478. Houston employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Houston, Texas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Houston	143,273	-3,827	-14,653

Number of Unemployed Persons

Houston, Texas Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Texas Unemployment Rate	Houston Unemployment Rate	Houston Unemployed
March 2019	3.8%	3.8%	—	—
February 2019	3.8%	3.8%	4.2%	143,273
January 2019	4.0%	3.8%	4.3%	147,100
December 2018	3.9%	3.7%	4.1%	142,205
November 2018	3.7%	3.7%	3.9%	135,214
October 2018	3.8%	3.7%	3.9%	134,795
September 2018	3.7%	3.7%	4.0%	137,783
August 2018	3.8%	3.7%	4.1%	138,138
July 2018	3.9%	3.8%	4.1%	139,727
June 2018	4.0%	3.8%	4.3%	147,135
May 2018	3.8%	3.9%	4.4%	151,225
April 2018	3.9%	4.0%	4.6%	157,500