COLLEGE STATION – Initial jobless claims in Texas have reached pre-pandemic levels after decreasing to 17,700 claims the week ending June 5.
This marks four straight weeks of drops and the lowest level of claims since before the pandemic.
About 5.2 million unemployment claims have been filed since March 21, 2020, according to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) data.
Continuing unemployment claims decreased to 189,600 the week ending May 29, recording four straight weeks of declines and the lowest level since March 2020.
“Even though initial claims reached pre-pandemic levels and continuing claims got closer to their pre-COVID levels, the Texas economy still needs to gain almost 446,000 jobs to return to pre-pandemic levels,” said Dr. Luis Torres, a research economist for the Texas Real Estate Research Center. “The unemployment rate needs to fall considerably from its April 2021 rate of 6.7 percent.”
The number of workers receiving benefits through the pandemic unemployment assistance program, which is open to gig workers and others who don’t typically receive benefits, decreased the week ending June 5.
Last week, U.S. initial claims decreased to 376,400, bringing the 64-week total to 83.4 million. This marks six straight weeks of declines and the lowest level of the pandemic.
Fewer people in most of Texas’ major and border metros filed new unemployment claims the week ending June 5.
Using data from the DOL and the Employment and Training Administration, the Center has estimated unemployment claims for Texas’ major and border metros since March 21, 2020:
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Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, 1.23 million claims;
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Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 1.18 million claims;
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San Antonio-New Braunfels, 360,900 claims;
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Austin-Round Rock, 304,200 claims;
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McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 144,400 claims;
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El Paso, 123,800 claims;
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Brownsville-Harlingen, 63,600 claims; and
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Laredo, 35,900 claims.
Administrative/support/waste management/remediation servicesregistered the highest number of initial claims the week ending June 5. The sector was followed by healthcare and social assistance, construction, retail trade, and accommodation and food services.
The Texas Real Estate Research Center has a wealth of economic information online for free.