Texas Workforce Commission numbers released Friday showed the state adding 12,500 nonfarm jobs in May. That's slightly down from April but enough to keep the Texas unemployment rate below 7 percent for consecutive months for the first time since spring 2009.
The national unemployment rate is 8.2 percent.
Agency figures show that while five of the 11 major industries in Texas lost jobs in May, strong gains in the sectors of leisure and hospitality and professional services kept the unemployment rate from slipping.
Midland's unemployment rate of 3.8 percent remains the lowest in the state. The highest is in the McAllen area, where the jobless rate now stands at 10.8 percent.
