LMI Press Release
July unemployment rate for Southeast Texas increases to 5.4 percent
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Southeast Texas unadjusted unemployment rate for July 2025 increased to 5.4 percent, up 0.3 percent from June’s rate of 5.1 percent, based on data released by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The total civilian labor force totals 185,089, which includes 175,186 employed and 9,903 unemployed. In addition, over 8,600 job openings from different industries were available*.
| wdt_ID | Area | Jul 2025 | Jun 2025 | Jul 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.5% |
| 2 | Beaumont-Port Arthur | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.2% |
| 3 | Southeast Texas | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.2% |
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | Hardin County | 4.4% | 4.3% | 5.1% |
| 6 | Jefferson County | 5.8% | 5.5% | 6.8% |
| 7 | Orange County | 4.6% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| 8 | Newton County | 6.4% | 6.2% | 7.2% |
| 9 | ||||
| 10 | Beaumont | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.7% |
| 11 | Port Arthur | 8.6% | 7.8% | 10.4% |
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 | Private Education and Health Services | 100 | |
| 14 | Professional and Business Services | 100 | |
| 16 | Trade, Transportation and Utilities | 100 | |
| 18 | Government | -1100 | |
| 21 | Leisure and Hospitality | -100 | |
| 22 | Manufacturing | -100 |
Source: Current Employment Statistics (CES)/Texas Workforce Commission
According to a representative from TWC, the large decrease in the Government sector is attributed to a seasonal adjustment that takes into account summer breaks for educational institutions and independent school districts.
Since July 2024, the year-over-year unemployment rate for the Southeast Texas WDA has decreased by 0.8 percent. The total of employed individuals has grown by 3,032. July 2025 unemployment rates for the Southeast Texas counties are as follows**:
Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)/Texas Workforce Commission
-
- Jefferson; 5.8 percent (increase of 0.3 from June; decrease of 1.0 from July 2024)
- Orange: 4.6 percent (increase of 0.3 from June; decrease of 0.6 from July 2024)
- Hardin: 4.4 percent (increase of 0.1 June; decrease of 0.7 from July 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 06/01/2025 to 06/30/2025
**All unemployment rates listed are not seasonally adjusted and are subject to change