Dallas

Texas Outpaced Nation in Job Growth

West Texas oil country led the nation in job growth last month with the largest year-over-year percentage gains in employment even as oil prices tumbled.

According to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Midland metropolitan area saw job growth rise by 6.2 percent. Odessa followed with a 4.7 percent increase.

The Houston area had the nation's highest tally with 125,300 new jobs followed by Dallas-Fort Worth with 111,500.

The Dallas Federal Reserve has projected Texas will lose about 125,000 jobs because of lower oil prices by mid-2015.

Dallas Fed researcher Michael Plante says job growth has been "booming" in Texas and that the pace of growth could slow in coming months.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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