Texarkana labor stats provide insight

A look at labor statistics shows that, while the Texarkana area's workforce is shrinking and wage and employment growth are slow, educational opportunities could help fill the needs of growing industry.

The Texarkana metropolitan statistical area comprises both sides of Texarkana and the surrounding communities in Bowie County, Texas, and Miller County, Ark., according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics' Website, bls.gov.

Average Wages

The March 21 county employment and wage news release from bureau indicates small growth in employment and wages for the Texarkana area. In the third quarter of 2015, the $999 average weekly wage in Texas was higher than the $974 weekly wages for the United States as a whole. Texas ranked 13th in the nation for weekly wages and 45th in the nation for percentage change, with a 1.1 percent increase.

Arkansas, with an average weekly wage of $756, ranks 48th in the nation. However, the change in the third quarter of 2014-15 for Arkansas is 2.6 percent, ranking 22nd nationally in percentage change. Bowie County's average weekly wages of $713 are considerably lower than wages for the rest of Texas and closer to those in Arkansas.

Counties that include a major metropolitan area generally have higher wages. In Texas, this includes the areas around Dallas, Houston and Austin. Lower-paying counties are usually more rural. With an average weekly wage of $399, Delta County, Texas, is the lowest in the third quarter of 2015.

Unemployment

The official unemployment measure includes all jobless persons who are available to take a job and have actively sought work in the past four weeks. This measure has been used by the Current Population Survey since 1940. Six alternative figures are also reported on a monthly basis from the survey. The unemployment rates for Arkansas and Texas have decreased from 2009 to 2015 for the official unemployment figure and all six alternatives.

The official unemployment rates for Texas and Arkansas look good. The average 2015 unemployment rate in Arkansas was 5.2 percent, the rate in Texas was 4.4 percent, and both were below the national average of 5.3 percent. At the beginning of the great recession in 2009, the unemployment rates were 9.3 percent for the United States, 7.8 percent in Arkansas, and 7.5 percent in Texas.

Growth in Employment

Nationwide employment grew by 1.9 percent from September 2014 to September 2015. The fastest gain in the country was 6.5 percent. Because of the natural resources sector, Texas had some of the most varied growth across the state. In West Texas, Ector County, with its heavy reliance on natural resources, experienced the largest decrease, with a loss of 8.3 percent. Denton County, north of Dallas, ranked third nationwide for job growth during the same time period, with a 6.1 percent employment gain.

Labor Force

The labor force is people who are at least 16 years old and have jobs or are looking for a job, according to the bureau. It does not include members of the military or those who are institutionalized. The labor force in Texas has steadily risen from about 12 million in 2010 to more than 13 million by the end of 2015. During the same time period, Texarkana's labor force shrank. It went from a high of 71,744 in July 2009 to 63,075 in December 2015, with a slight increase in January.

The reduction in Texarkana's workforce is not because of population decrease. In fact, the overall population has increased-but it is also aging. In 2010, 13 percent of the U.S. population was older than 65. In Texas as a whole, the 65-and-older group made up only 10.3 percent of the population. For Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Ark., the older-than-65 population was 14.4 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively. Since 2010, the age group has continued to increase as a percentage of the population in the area.

Bureau of Labor Statistics Projections

According to projections made by the bureau in December 2015, the percentage of workers who are 55 and older in the U.S. is expected to grow to nearly one-quarter by 2024. This population segment was at 15 percent in 2004 and 22 percent in 2014. With the Texarkana area already experiencing an older population relative to the rest of the country, this projection indicates a need to attract and retain younger people.

The labor force is projected to grow more slowly over the next 10 years. Texarkana will need to attach more people to the labor force.

The health care and social assistance industry is projected to account for more than a third of total job growth. Texarkana is well-positioned to meet this need, with two hospitals and health care education from the associate to graduate level available in the area.

Jobs requiring a graduate degree for entry are projected to have the fastest growth among detailed occupations.

 

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