How Texas’ Job Market Compared to the US Over the Last 47 Years

By Sam Stebbins Published Dec 20, 10:45AM EST

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How Texas’ Job Market Compared to the US Over the Last 47 Years — © f11photo / iStock via Getty Images

In an era of economic uncertainty, the U.S. job market remains resilient. After falling to 3.7% in November 2023, the national unemployment rate has been below 4% for 22 consecutive months, the longest streak in over 50 years.

Of course, if history is any guide, much of the economy is subject to boom and bust cycles — and the job market is no exception. Since the mid-1970s, the average annual unemployment rate in the U.S. has fluctuated between 3.6% and nearly 10%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These same cyclical patterns are also evident in Texas, where the job market is supported largely by the professional and scientific and retail trade industries. The annual unemployment rate in the state was 3.9% in 2022, only slightly higher than the state’s lowest recorded annual jobless rate of 3.5%. However, conditions for job seekers have not always been so favorable.

According to historical BLS data going back to 1976, the annual jobless rate has been as high as 8.8% in Texas. More than once, unemployment in the state has either matched or come close to that peak.

This is how Texas’s job market has changed in each of the last 47 years.

1976: 5.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.8% (7.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.7% (61.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 331,318

1977: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.5% (62.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 323,365

1978: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.3% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 306,028

1979: 4.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.3% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.8% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 283,660

1980: 5.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.1% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.2% (63.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 354,853

1981: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (7.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.1% (63.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 378,374

1982: 6.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.9% (9.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.2% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 508,941

1983: 7.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.9% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.6% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 614,810

1984: 6.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.1% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.3% (64.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 483,665

1985: 7.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.0% (7.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.8% (64.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 568,465

1986: 8.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.8% (7.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.5% (65.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 716,591

1987: 8.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.4% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.9% (65.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 703,883

1988: 7.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.3% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.1% (65.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 620,106

1989: 6.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.7% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.2% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 568,045

1990: 6.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.3% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.3% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 548,958

1991: 6.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.9% (6.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.5% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 609,518

1992: 7.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.6% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.0% (66.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 692,269

1993: 7.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.2% (6.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.0% (66.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 660,880

1994: 6.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.5% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.3% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 618,008

1995: 6.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.1% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.3% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 585,939

1996: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (5.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.1% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 559,834

1997: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.1% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 534,964

1998: 4.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.9% (4.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.1% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 502,276

1999: 4.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.7% (4.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.8% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 483,948

2000: 4.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.3% (4.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.3% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 455,364

2001: 5.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.0% (4.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.0% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 524,310

2002: 6.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.4% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.1% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 680,965

2003: 6.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.7% (6.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.0% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 734,082

2004: 5.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.9% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.4% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 662,144

2005: 5.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.4% (5.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.2% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 611,321

2006: 4.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.9% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.7% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 564,326

2007: 4.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.3% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.8% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 500,878

2008: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.8% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 567,244

2009: 7.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.6% (9.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.0% (65.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 900,971

2010: 8.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.1% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.0% (64.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 1,004,656

2011: 7.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.8% (8.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.9% (64.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 1,000,726

2012: 6.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.7% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.4% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 844,490

2013: 6.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.3% (7.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.2% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 809,763

2014: 5.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.1% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.8% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 673,126

2015: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.8% (62.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 587,497

2016: 4.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.6% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.8% (62.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 617,938

2017: 4.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.3% (4.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.8% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 585,966

2018: 3.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.8% (3.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.0% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 535,333

2019: 3.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.5% (3.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.9% (63.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 492,708

2020: 7.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.6% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.9% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 1,071,529

2021: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.5% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 807,358

2022: 3.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.9% (3.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.9% (62.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Texas: 569,725

Year	Texas unemployment rate	U.S. unemployment rate	Unemployed population in Texas
1976	5.8	7.7	331,318
1977	5.3	7.1	323,365
1978	4.8	6.1	306,028
1979	4.3	5.8	283,660
1980	5.1	7.1	354,853
1981	5.3	7.6	378,374
1982	6.9	9.7	508,941
1983	7.9	9.6	614,810
1984	6.1	7.5	483,665
1985	7.0	7.2	568,465
1986	8.8	7.0	716,591
1987	8.4	6.2	703,883
1988	7.3	5.5	620,106
1989	6.7	5.3	568,045
1990	6.3	5.6	548,958
1991	6.9	6.8	609,518
1992	7.6	7.5	692,269
1993	7.2	6.9	660,880
1994	6.5	6.1	618,008
1995	6.1	5.6	585,939
1996	5.7	5.4	559,834
1997	5.3	4.9	534,964
1998	4.9	4.5	502,276
1999	4.7	4.2	483,948
2000	4.3	4.0	455,364
2001	5.0	4.7	524,310
2002	6.4	5.8	680,965
2003	6.7	6.0	734,082
2004	5.9	5.5	662,144
2005	5.4	5.1	611,321
2006	4.9	4.6	564,326
2007	4.3	4.6	500,878
2008	4.8	5.8	567,244
2009	7.6	9.3	900,971
2010	8.1	9.6	1,004,656
2011	7.8	8.9	1,000,726
2012	6.7	8.1	844,490
2013	6.3	7.4	809,763
2014	5.1	6.2	673,126
2015	4.4	5.3	587,497
2016	4.6	4.9	617,938
2017	4.3	4.4	585,966
2018	3.8	3.9	535,333
2019	3.5	3.7	492,708
2020	7.6	8.1	1,071,529
2021	5.7	5.3	807,358
2022	3.9	3.6	569,725

About the Author Sam Stebbins →

Sam Stebbins is a writer at a673b.bigscoots-temp.com where his primary focus is on government policy, politics, companies, and broad social and economic trends. Sam has been writing in the money and news verticals for over 8 years and holds a bachelor's degree from Hobart College, which he earned in 2010. Sam resides in upstate New York and enjoys hiking, biking, canoeing, and skiing in the Adirondack Mountains and across the Northeast.