County jobless number increases

The unemployment rate for Freestone county rose a half percent, to 7.3 percent, in January, as did the jobless rates in surrounding counties.

January unemployment figures were released last week by Texas Workforce Commission.

The 7.3 percent for Freestone county marks its highest level in more than a decade, increasing from 6.7 percent in December.

Reflected in the percentage are 748 jobless persons out of a total labor force of 10,234.

Statewide, the 8.2 percent unemployment rate remained unchanged from December to January, and remains well below the national rate of 9.7 percent.

Labor statistics for January were delayed by the U.S. Department of Labor because of recent inclement weather on the East Coast.

Highest unemployment rate in the area is 10.5 percent in Anderson county, an increase from 9.6 percent reported for December. In Anderson county 2,228 workers are jobless out of a total labor force of 21,240.

Navarro county had a January unemployment rate of 10.1 percent, with 2,214 out of 21,860 workers unemployed. The December rate was 8.4 percent.

Limestone county has the second lowest unemployment rate in the area, 7.3 percent, which rose from 6.7 percent a month earlier. Out of a total labor force of 11,711, there are 856 workers without jobs.

In Leon county, the unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent in January from 7.5 percent in December. There are 712 persons jobless out of a total labor force of 8,659.

Lowest unemployment rate in the state, 6.0 percent, is posted for the Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area, followed by Lubbock MSA and Midland MSA, both at 6.2 percent.

The McAllen-Edinburg- Mission area reports a January unemployment rate of 10 percent.