LMI Press Release
August unemployment rate for Southeast Texas increases to 5.9 percent
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Southeast Texas unadjusted unemployment rate for August 2025 increased to 5.9 percent, up 0.5 percent from July’s rate of 5.4 percent, based on data released by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The total civilian labor force totals 185,808, which includes 174,906 employed and 10,902 unemployed. In addition, over 7,300 job openings from different industries were available*.
| wdt_ID | Area | Aug 2025 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 4.7% | 4.2% | 4.4% |
| 2 | Beaumont-Port Arthur | 5.9% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| 3 | Southeast Texas | 5.9% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | Hardin County | 5.0% | 4.4% | 4.9% |
| 6 | Jefferson County | 6.3% | 5.8% | 6.5% |
| 7 | Orange County | 5.2% | 4.6% | 5.1% |
| 8 | Newton County | 6.9% | 6.4% | 7.2% |
| 9 | ||||
| 10 | Beaumont | 5.6% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 11 | Port Arthur | 9.1% | 8.6% | 9.7% |
Current Unemployment Statistics (CES) provided by TWC report industry sector job gains and losses. All gains and losses are shown in the table below.
| wdt_ID | Industry Sector | Monthly Increases | Monthly Decreases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Mining, Logging and Construction | 400 | |
| 14 | Government | 100 | |
| 16 | Trade, Transportation and Utilities | 100 | |
| 18 | Manufacturing | -200 | |
| 21 | Leisure and Hospitality | -100 | |
| 22 | Private Education and Health Services | -100 |
Source: Current Employment Statistics (CES)/Texas Workforce Commission
August 2025 unemployment rates for the Southeast Texas counties are as follows**:
Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)/Texas Workforce Commission
-
- Jefferson; 6.3 percent (increase of 0.5 from July; decrease of 0.2 from August 2024)
- Orange: 5.2 percent (increase of 0.6 from July; increase of 0.1 from August 2024)
- Hardin: 5.0 percent (increase of 0.6 July; increase of 0.1 from August 2024)
Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit texaslmi.com.
You can access the latest labor market data available for the Southeast Texas Workforce Development Area and even download raw data and graphs straight from the dashboard. In addition to the latest labor market statistics, the dashboard also includes information on job postings, skills demand and education, skills gaps, education pipeline trends, commuting patterns, and home values.
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*Source: Lightcast – Online job postings active from 08/01/2025 to 08/31/2025
**All unemployment rates listed are not seasonally adjusted and are subject to change