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The Texas Workforce Commission reports the statewide unemployment rate fell slightly in August to just over four percent. Houston Public Radio's Jim Bell has more.

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The seasonally adjusted Texas jobless rate for August was 4.2 percent, down from 4.4 percent in July. That's almost half a point under the national rate of 4.6 percent. Texas Workforce Commission spokesman J.D. Dossett says 10,400 people got jobs last month, which brought the August numbers close to a historic low.

"In fact this rate we have this month is around our 30 year low. We're looking at some very historically low unemployment rates here."

Dossett says several sectors are adding jobs, but the biggest increases were in government at 6800 jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 3500 jobs, natural resources and mining, which includes oil and gas, added 1600 positions, as did education and health services.

"Well anytime we feel we can add more jobs, especially 225 thousand over the year that's a good thing. This month alone that job increase was 10,400 jobs, so that does show strength."

Midland has the lowest jobless rate in the state at 2.8 percent. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission in south Texas has the highest with 6.1 percent. The Houston rate is 4.1 percent. Jim Bell, Houston Public Radio News.

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