FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: EMPLOYED WORKFORCE INSIDE MIDLAND MSA INCREASES BY 3.6%

(January 24, 2024)

The number of employed people in the Midland metropolitan statistical area increased by 3.6% in December (compared to December 2022), according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The employment gains inside the Midland MSA are nothing new as Midland spent most of 2023 as the MSA with the largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment. In November that increase was 3.7%. The Texas Workforce Commission showed the number of employed people in the Midland MSA jumped from 109,200 in December 2022 to 113,200 in December 2023.

Texas' employment growth rate continued to outpace the nation by a full percentage point, with 2.7% annual growth in the state from December 2022 to December 2023, compared to the nation’s 1.7%.

The TWC also reported Midland continued to lead the state with the lowest unemployment rate. The 2.1% unemployment rate in December inside the MSA is down from 2.3% in December 2022 and 2.2% in November.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, Amarillo was second with an unemployment rate of 2.5%. College Station-Bryan was third (2.6%), and Lubbock was fourth (2.8%). Odessa was tied for fifth, with San Angelo at 2.9%. The state average was 3.5%.

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