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Metro Houston’s unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in December, down from 4.5 percent in November. Texas’ rate was 3.7 percent, down from 4.2 percent the prior month. The U.S. rate was 3.8 percent in December, down from 4.0 percent. The rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Among the cities in the Houston region for which TWC publishes unemployment rates, Bryan had the lowest in November, and Port Arthur had the highest.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits ticked up immediately after Hurricane Beryl hit Houston this summer but have since returned to normal levels. Claims averaged 3,653 per week in December, down from 3,991 in November.

Continued claims filed by workers unemployed for a week or more rose immediately after Beryl but returned to more normal levels in the fall.  December’s claims were up normally compared to November’s. The 34,209 Houstonians filing continued claims represent less than 1.0 percent of the region’s workforce.

Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research

Patrick Jankowski, CERP
Chief Economist 
Senior Vice President, Research
pjankowski@houston.org

Clara Richardson
Research Analyst
crichardson@houston.org