Counties in Texas by unemployment rate

Starr County had the highest unemployment rate of 254 counties in April 2026, at 8.9%. Loving County had the lowest, at 0.3%. The median was 3.8% and the figure for Texas was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest8.9Starr County
Lowest0.3Loving County
Median3.8254 counties
Texas4.3History

Top 40 counties, April 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

Starr CountyStarr County: 8.9 %8.9Maverick CountyMaverick County: 8.5 %8.5Zapata CountyZapata County: 6.8 %6.8Willacy CountyWillacy County: 6.7 %6.7Zavala CountyZavala County: 6.3 %6.3Cameron CountyCameron County: 6.2 %6.2Dimmit CountyDimmit County: 6.2 %6.2Presidio CountyPresidio County: 6.1 %6.1Sabine CountySabine County: 6.1 %6.1Val Verde CountyVal Verde County: 6 %6Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 5.7 %5.7Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 5.6 %5.6Kenedy CountyKenedy County: 5.6 %5.6Newton CountyNewton County: 5.6 %5.6Jasper CountyJasper County: 5.5 %5.5Morris CountyMorris County: 5.5 %5.5Sutton CountySutton County: 5.5 %5.5Marion CountyMarion County: 5.4 %5.4Tyler CountyTyler County: 5.3 %5.3Liberty CountyLiberty County: 5.2 %5.2Trinity CountyTrinity County: 5.2 %5.2Eastland CountyEastland County: 5 %5Jim Wells CountyJim Wells County: 5 %5Live Oak CountyLive Oak County: 5 %5Matagorda CountyMatagorda County: 5 %5Waller CountyWaller County: 5 %5Jack CountyJack County: 4.9 %4.9McMullen CountyMcMullen County: 4.9 %4.9San Augustine CountySan Augustine County: 4.9 %4.9Garza CountyGarza County: 4.8 %4.8Refugio CountyRefugio County: 4.8 %4.8Shelby CountyShelby County: 4.8 %4.8Chambers CountyChambers County: 4.7 %4.7Frio CountyFrio County: 4.7 %4.7Red River CountyRed River County: 4.7 %4.7San Jacinto CountySan Jacinto County: 4.7 %4.7Cass CountyCass County: 4.6 %4.6Goliad CountyGoliad County: 4.6 %4.6Navarro CountyNavarro County: 4.6 %4.6Orange CountyOrange County: 4.6 %4.6
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCountiesApril 2026 (%)Change on April 2025
1Starr County8.90 pts
2Maverick County8.5-2.1 pts
3Zapata County6.8+0.2 pts
4Willacy County6.7+1.5 pts
5Zavala County6.3+0.2 pts
6Cameron County6.2-0.9 pts
6Dimmit County6.20 pts
8Presidio County6.1+0.3 pts
8Sabine County6.1+0.8 pts
10Val Verde County6+1.4 pts
11Hidalgo County5.7+0.1 pts
12Jefferson County5.6+0.6 pts
12Kenedy County5.6-1.4 pts
12Newton County5.6+0.1 pts
15Jasper County5.5+0.1 pts
15Morris County5.5+0.6 pts
15Sutton County5.5-0.2 pts
18Marion County5.40 pts
19Tyler County5.3+0.2 pts
20Liberty County5.2+0.6 pts
20Trinity County5.2+0.9 pts
22Eastland County5+0.5 pts
22Jim Wells County5+0.6 pts
22Live Oak County5+0.6 pts
22Matagorda County5-0.2 pts
22Waller County5+0.6 pts
27Jack County4.9-0.1 pts
27McMullen County4.9+0.3 pts
27San Augustine County4.9+0.2 pts
30Garza County4.8-0.3 pts
30Refugio County4.8+0.5 pts
30Shelby County4.8+0.6 pts
33Chambers County4.7+0.6 pts
33Frio County4.7-1.2 pts
33Red River County4.7+0.4 pts
33San Jacinto County4.7+0.2 pts
37Cass County4.6+0.1 pts
37Goliad County4.6+0.8 pts
37Navarro County4.6+0.5 pts
37Orange County4.6+0.7 pts
37Polk County4.6+0.3 pts
37San Patricio County4.6+0.2 pts
43Brazoria County4.5+0.4 pts
43Coryell County4.5+0.3 pts
43Jeff Davis County4.5+0.9 pts
43McCulloch County4.5+0.7 pts
43Real County4.5+1.1 pts
43Wood County4.5+0.3 pts
49Aransas County4.4+0.3 pts
49Bee County4.40 pts
49Bell County4.4+0.3 pts
49Duval County4.4+0.4 pts
49Freestone County4.4+0.4 pts
54DeWitt County4.3-0.1 pts
54Gregg County4.3+0.3 pts
54Harris County4.3+0.2 pts
54Harrison County4.30 pts
54La Salle County4.3-0.1 pts
54Panola County4.30 pts
60Angelina County4.2+0.5 pts
60Atascosa County4.2+0.3 pts
60Camp County4.2+0.3 pts
60Fort Bend County4.2+0.4 pts
60Galveston County4.2+0.3 pts
60Henderson County4.2+0.2 pts
60Kinney County4.2+0.4 pts
60Lamar County4.2+0.4 pts
60Motley County4.2+0.7 pts
60Nacogdoches County4.2+0.3 pts
60Webb County4.2-0.3 pts
60Wharton County4.2+0.3 pts
72Borden County4.1+0.9 pts
72Grimes County4.1+0.3 pts
72Hardin County4.1+0.2 pts
72Houston County4.1+0.3 pts
72Kaufman County4.1+0.4 pts
72Rusk County4.1+0.4 pts
72Schleicher County4.1-0.1 pts
72Throckmorton County4.1+0.3 pts
72Upshur County4.1+0.3 pts
72Uvalde County4.1+0.4 pts
82Anderson County4+0.3 pts
82Cherokee County4+0.3 pts
82Dawson County4+0.4 pts
82Delta County4+0.5 pts
82El Paso County4+0.1 pts
82Hamilton County4+0.5 pts
82Hemphill County4-0.3 pts
82Hill County4+0.7 pts
82Hood County4+0.2 pts
82Hunt County4+0.3 pts
82Kleberg County4+0.4 pts
82Madison County40 pts
82Milam County4+0.2 pts
82Montgomery County4+0.4 pts
82Nueces County4+0.3 pts
82Pecos County4+0.4 pts
98Bandera County3.9+0.5 pts
98Bexar County3.9+0.4 pts
98Bowie County3.9+0.2 pts
98Concho County3.9+1.2 pts
98Dallas County3.9+0.2 pts
98Hale County3.9+0.4 pts
98Jim Hogg County3.9-1.4 pts
98Lampasas County3.9+0.2 pts
98Limestone County3.90 pts
98Medina County3.9+0.3 pts
98Menard County3.9+1.1 pts
98Potter County3.9+0.9 pts
98Reagan County3.90 pts
98Robertson County3.9+0.2 pts
98Somervell County3.9+0.5 pts
98Terry County3.9+0.1 pts
98Victoria County3.9+0.4 pts
115Collin County3.8+0.3 pts
115Grayson County3.8+0.4 pts
115Howard County3.8+0.6 pts
115Jackson County3.8+0.1 pts
115Llano County3.8+0.4 pts
115Nolan County3.8+0.5 pts
115Rains County3.8+0.4 pts
115Roberts County3.8-0.5 pts
115Stephens County3.8+0.3 pts
115Swisher County3.8-0.2 pts
115Tarrant County3.8+0.3 pts
115Terrell County3.8+0.6 pts
115Titus County3.8+0.2 pts
115Van Zandt County3.8+0.2 pts
115Walker County3.8+0.2 pts
115Wheeler County3.8+1 pts
131Bosque County3.7+0.2 pts
131Brooks County3.70 pts
131Calhoun County3.7+0.5 pts
131Ellis County3.7+0.3 pts
131Falls County3.7+0.1 pts
131Floyd County3.7+0.3 pts
131Guadalupe County3.7+0.4 pts
131Karnes County3.7+0.2 pts
131Montague County3.7+0.1 pts
131Palo Pinto County3.7+0.2 pts
141Austin County3.6+0.1 pts
141Clay County3.6+0.3 pts
141Comal County3.6+0.4 pts
141Denton County3.6+0.2 pts
141Ector County3.6+0.4 pts
141Fannin County3.6+0.2 pts
141Gray County3.6+0.1 pts
141Hudspeth County3.6-0.1 pts
141Hutchinson County3.6+0.2 pts
141Irion County3.6+0.9 pts
141McLennan County3.6+0.2 pts
141Smith County3.6+0.3 pts
141Sterling County3.6+0.2 pts
141Wichita County3.6+0.4 pts
141Wilson County3.6+0.4 pts
156Blanco County3.5+0.5 pts
156Burnet County3.5+0.3 pts
156Caldwell County3.5+0.3 pts
156Donley County3.5+0.1 pts
156Fayette County3.5+0.1 pts
156Hall County3.5-0.3 pts
156Haskell County3.50 pts
156Hockley County3.5+0.2 pts
156Kimble County3.5+0.5 pts
156Lee County3.5+0.4 pts
156Rockwall County3.5+0.3 pts
156San Saba County3.5+0.3 pts
156Scurry County3.5+0.3 pts
156Wilbarger County3.5+0.1 pts
156Williamson County3.5+0.3 pts
156Yoakum County3.5+0.1 pts
172Bailey County3.40 pts
172Bastrop County3.4+0.2 pts
172Brown County3.40 pts
172Colorado County3.4-0.1 pts
172Crosby County3.4-0.5 pts
172Johnson County3.4+0.2 pts
172Leon County3.4+0.2 pts
172Wise County3.4+0.2 pts
180Cochran County3.3-0.2 pts
180Coleman County3.3+0.2 pts
180Deaf Smith County3.3+0.5 pts
180Franklin County3.3+0.3 pts
180Gonzales County3.3+0.2 pts
180Hansford County3.3+0.3 pts
180Hays County3.3+0.3 pts
180Kendall County3.3+0.4 pts
180Kent County3.3-1.2 pts
180Mason County3.3+0.1 pts
180Reeves County3.3-0.1 pts
180Shackelford County3.3+0.6 pts
180Travis County3.3+0.2 pts
180Washington County3.3-0.1 pts
194Archer County3.2-0.1 pts
194Hopkins County3.2+0.3 pts
194Kerr County3.2+0.2 pts
194Lavaca County3.2+0.4 pts
194Lubbock County3.2+0.3 pts
194Parker County3.2+0.1 pts
194Ward County3.20 pts
201Andrews County3.1+0.5 pts
201Brazos County3.1+0.2 pts
201Briscoe County3.1+0.3 pts
201Burleson County3.10 pts
201Comanche County3.1+0.4 pts
201Cooke County3.1+0.2 pts
201Culberson County3.1-0.8 pts
201Dickens County3.1-0.4 pts
201Fisher County3.1+0.7 pts
201Jones County3.1+0.2 pts
201Lamb County3.10 pts
201Lynn County3.1+0.2 pts
201Taylor County3.1+0.1 pts
201Tom Green County3.1+0.3 pts
201Winkler County3.1+0.4 pts
216Collingsworth County3+0.1 pts
216Erath County3+0.1 pts
216Foard County3+0.1 pts
216Lipscomb County3+0.2 pts
216Mills County3+0.1 pts
216Mitchell County3+0.3 pts
216Oldham County3-0.3 pts
216Young County3-0.1 pts
224Callahan County2.9-0.1 pts
224Carson County2.9+0.4 pts
224Crane County2.9+0.6 pts
224Gillespie County2.9+0.2 pts
224Knox County2.9-0.1 pts
224Midland County2.9+0.3 pts
224Runnels County2.9-0.1 pts
231Hardeman County2.8+0.2 pts
231Moore County2.8+0.3 pts
231Ochiltree County2.8+0.1 pts
231Randall County2.8+0.2 pts
235Armstrong County2.70 pts
235Crockett County2.7-0.4 pts
235Gaines County2.7+0.1 pts
235Sherman County2.7+0.4 pts
239Baylor County2.6-0.1 pts
239Coke County2.6-0.3 pts
239Hartley County2.6+0.1 pts
239Martin County2.6-0.2 pts
239Parmer County2.6+0.1 pts
244Brewster County2.5+0.1 pts
244Castro County2.5+0.2 pts
244Edwards County2.5-0.4 pts
247Childress County2.3+0.3 pts
247Dallam County2.3+0.2 pts
249Stonewall County2.2+0.2 pts
250King County2.1+0.1 pts

Showing the top 250 of 254. The CSV download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work. Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over. EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74. United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states and counties. Other countries and the World: ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, aged 15 and over.

Survey-based. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states and US counties, not Spanish municipalities. For municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate. US national and state rates are seasonally adjusted; county rates are not. Countries without a national or Eurostat series get the annual ILO modelled estimate, a model output rather than a survey result.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Texas by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate","level":"province","within":"Texas","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate&level=province&within=Texas&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate?

Starr County, with 8.9% in April 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate?

Loving County, with 0.3% in April 2026.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Counties in Texas: more rankings