Jun 17, 2024 - News
Where the living-wage jobs are (and aren't) in Texas
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The San Antonio area had a higher True Rate of Unemployment last year compared to many other U.S. metros.
Why it matters: The rate signifies the full spectrum of inequality within the U.S. and Texas.
How it works: The Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity looked at the True Rate of Unemployment instead of the official rate, which tends to be significantly lower.
- The official unemployment rate excludes people earning only a few dollars a week and people who stopped looking for work for reasons like a lack of jobs or the demands of child care.
- The True Rate of Unemployment tracks the percentage of the labor force that doesn't have a full-time job but wants one, is unemployed or doesn't earn a living wage (less than $25,000 per year).
Zoom in: San Antonio had a True Unemployment Rate of 27% in 2023, above the country's rate of 23%.
- The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area had a rate of almost 20%. Austin and Houston each had a rate of 24%.
Between the lines: Among Texas cities, there are wide disparities.
- In Laredo, the True Unemployment Rate is a shocking 52% — despite it being the busiest port in the country.
- In nearby McAllen, the rate is 48%, partly due to the fact that some 35% of the over-25 population doesn't have a high school diploma.
- El Paso's rate was 32%.
The bottom line: There are plenty of good jobs in Texas — but they're not evenly distributed.