HOUSTON – The Houston area economy added 53,500 new jobs over the last year, one of the strongest job growth reports since job growth tailed off in 2015, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The report covered a 12-month period ending Aug. 31, 2017.
The sectors accounting for the bulk of the gains: manufacturing, healthcare and employment services (temporary help agencies).
Houston’s unemployment rate in August was 5.2 percent, up from 4.9 percent in July and down from 5.7 percent in July 2016.
The results were compiled before Hurricane Harvey upended Houston’s economy in late August.