Did Texas set a record for employment gains in 2020?
By Lisa Freedland
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NO
In a year of pandemic-related employment declines, Texas fared relatively well among the states, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonfarm employment fell by 4.3% in the state between January 2020 and January 2021, tying for 12th-best performance. Only Idaho reported any growth in the measure, with a 1.1% gain.
In January 2021, the BLS measured 12.4 million jobs, down almost 600,000 over the year.
The state’s unemployment rate rose from 3.6% in January 2020 to 6.8% in January 2021, compared to the national average of 6.3%.
While a business magazine awarded the state a “2020 Governor's Cup” for its economic performance in the year, the award was based on new investment projects rather than general job growth.
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