Counties in Texas by unemployment rate

Starr County had the highest unemployment rate of 254 counties in July 2026, at 9.9%. Loving County had the lowest, at 0.7%. The median was 4.6% and the figure for Texas was 4.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest9.9Starr County
Lowest0.7Loving County
Median4.6254 counties
Texas4.5History

Top 40 counties, July 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

Starr CountyStarr County: 9.9 %9.9Dimmit CountyDimmit County: 8.7 %8.7Maverick CountyMaverick County: 8.3 %8.3Kenedy CountyKenedy County: 7.8 %7.8Willacy CountyWillacy County: 7.6 %7.6Sabine CountySabine County: 7.5 %7.5Zavala CountyZavala County: 7.5 %7.5Zapata CountyZapata County: 7.3 %7.3McMullen CountyMcMullen County: 7.1 %7.1Cameron CountyCameron County: 7 %7Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 6.8 %6.8Newton CountyNewton County: 6.7 %6.7Jasper CountyJasper County: 6.6 %6.6Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 6.6 %6.6Presidio CountyPresidio County: 6.6 %6.6Eastland CountyEastland County: 6.5 %6.5Tyler CountyTyler County: 6.5 %6.5Liberty CountyLiberty County: 6.4 %6.4Marion CountyMarion County: 6.4 %6.4Morris CountyMorris County: 6.4 %6.4Jim Wells CountyJim Wells County: 6.3 %6.3Sutton CountySutton County: 6.3 %6.3Madison CountyMadison County: 6.2 %6.2Frio CountyFrio County: 6.1 %6.1Matagorda CountyMatagorda County: 6.1 %6.1Waller CountyWaller County: 6.1 %6.1Trinity CountyTrinity County: 6 %6Live Oak CountyLive Oak County: 5.9 %5.9Shelby CountyShelby County: 5.9 %5.9San Augustine CountySan Augustine County: 5.8 %5.8San Jacinto CountySan Jacinto County: 5.8 %5.8Duval CountyDuval County: 5.7 %5.7Goliad CountyGoliad County: 5.7 %5.7Refugio CountyRefugio County: 5.7 %5.7Cass CountyCass County: 5.6 %5.6Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches County: 5.6 %5.6Panola CountyPanola County: 5.6 %5.6Red River CountyRed River County: 5.6 %5.6Camp CountyCamp County: 5.5 %5.5Chambers CountyChambers County: 5.5 %5.5
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCountiesJuly 2026 (%)Change on July 2025
1Starr County9.90 pts
2Dimmit County8.7+0.8 pts
3Maverick County8.3-1.4 pts
4Kenedy County7.8-1.7 pts
5Willacy County7.6+1.7 pts
6Sabine County7.5+0.6 pts
6Zavala County7.5+0.1 pts
8Zapata County7.3+0.5 pts
9McMullen County7.1+2.3 pts
10Cameron County7-0.7 pts
11Hidalgo County6.8-0.2 pts
12Newton County6.70 pts
13Jasper County6.6+0.1 pts
13Jefferson County6.6+0.5 pts
13Presidio County6.6-0.5 pts
16Eastland County6.5+0.5 pts
16Tyler County6.5+0.2 pts
18Liberty County6.4+0.5 pts
18Marion County6.4+0.6 pts
18Morris County6.4+0.8 pts
21Jim Wells County6.3+0.7 pts
21Sutton County6.3+0.2 pts
23Madison County6.2+0.9 pts
24Frio County6.1-0.5 pts
24Matagorda County6.1-0.1 pts
24Waller County6.1+0.4 pts
27Trinity County6+0.7 pts
28Live Oak County5.9+0.9 pts
28Shelby County5.9+0.9 pts
30San Augustine County5.8-0.1 pts
30San Jacinto County5.8+0.3 pts
32Duval County5.7+0.6 pts
32Goliad County5.7+0.8 pts
32Refugio County5.7+0.9 pts
35Cass County5.6+0.5 pts
35Nacogdoches County5.6+0.4 pts
35Panola County5.6+0.3 pts
35Red River County5.6+0.9 pts
39Camp County5.5+0.6 pts
39Chambers County5.5+0.3 pts
39Donley County5.5+0.7 pts
39Jack County5.5-0.3 pts
39Kleberg County5.5+0.4 pts
39McCulloch County5.5+0.8 pts
39Orange County5.5+0.6 pts
46Bell County5.4+0.5 pts
46Brazoria County5.4+0.4 pts
46Coryell County5.4+0.5 pts
46DeWitt County5.4+0.4 pts
46Garza County5.4-0.1 pts
46Grimes County5.4+0.4 pts
46Lamar County5.4+1.3 pts
46Navarro County5.4+0.6 pts
46San Patricio County5.4+0.1 pts
46Val Verde County5.4-0.8 pts
56Angelina County5.3+0.6 pts
56Freestone County5.3+0.4 pts
56Polk County5.3+0.1 pts
56Uvalde County5.3+0.7 pts
56Wharton County5.3+0.6 pts
61Aransas County5.2+0.2 pts
61Bee County5.2+0.1 pts
61Gregg County5.2+0.4 pts
61Hale County5.2+0.1 pts
61Harris County5.2+0.4 pts
61Harrison County5.2+0.1 pts
61Hemphill County5.2+0.2 pts
61Houston County5.2+0.4 pts
61Motley County5.2+0.7 pts
61Wood County5.2+0.2 pts
71Anderson County5.1+0.5 pts
71Atascosa County5.1+0.5 pts
71Borden County5.1+1.5 pts
71Brooks County5.1+0.3 pts
71Galveston County5.1+0.4 pts
71Henderson County5.1+0.2 pts
71Upshur County5.1+0.5 pts
71Walker County5.1+0.3 pts
79Delta County5+0.7 pts
79Fort Bend County5+0.5 pts
79Hamilton County5+0.5 pts
79Hardin County5+0.3 pts
79Howard County5+0.7 pts
79Jeff Davis County5+0.4 pts
79Rusk County5+0.3 pts
79Throckmorton County50 pts
87Cherokee County4.9+0.1 pts
87Kaufman County4.9+0.5 pts
87Lampasas County4.9+0.4 pts
87Menard County4.9+1 pts
87Nueces County4.9+0.4 pts
87Pecos County4.9+0.6 pts
87Roberts County4.90 pts
87Robertson County4.9+0.1 pts
87Somervell County4.9+0.4 pts
87Titus County4.9+0.3 pts
97Bowie County4.8+0.4 pts
97El Paso County4.8+0.2 pts
97Hood County4.8+0.4 pts
97Hudspeth County4.8+0.3 pts
97Hunt County4.8+0.5 pts
97Jackson County4.8+0.1 pts
97Medina County4.8+0.4 pts
97Milam County4.8+0.3 pts
97Montgomery County4.8+0.5 pts
97Rains County4.8+0.8 pts
97Reagan County4.8+0.3 pts
97Schleicher County4.8-0.2 pts
97Stephens County4.8+0.3 pts
97Webb County4.8-0.1 pts
111Bailey County4.7-0.1 pts
111Bexar County4.7+0.5 pts
111Cochran County4.7+0.4 pts
111Dallas County4.7+0.4 pts
111Dawson County4.70 pts
111Hall County4.7+0.2 pts
111Montague County4.70 pts
111Nolan County4.7+0.8 pts
111Potter County4.7+1 pts
111Terry County4.70 pts
111Victoria County4.7+0.3 pts
122Collin County4.6+0.5 pts
122Crosby County4.60 pts
122Grayson County4.6+0.5 pts
122Hutchinson County4.6+0.3 pts
122Karnes County4.6+0.2 pts
122Kinney County4.6+0.3 pts
122Limestone County4.60 pts
122McLennan County4.6+0.3 pts
122Real County4.6+0.3 pts
122Scurry County4.6+0.2 pts
122Tarrant County4.6+0.4 pts
122Van Zandt County4.6+0.3 pts
122Wichita County4.6+0.5 pts
135Austin County4.5+0.3 pts
135Bandera County4.5+0.4 pts
135Bosque County4.5+0.4 pts
135Brown County4.5-0.4 pts
135Calhoun County4.5+0.2 pts
135Ellis County4.5+0.4 pts
135Fayette County4.5+0.6 pts
135Guadalupe County4.5+0.4 pts
135Haskell County4.5+0.6 pts
135Jim Hogg County4.5-1 pts
135Palo Pinto County4.5+0.4 pts
146Caldwell County4.4+0.4 pts
146Comal County4.4+0.5 pts
146Falls County4.4+0.1 pts
146Fannin County4.4+0.3 pts
146Hill County4.4+0.4 pts
146Kimble County4.4+0.5 pts
146La Salle County4.4-0.1 pts
146San Saba County4.40 pts
146Smith County4.4-0.4 pts
146Swisher County4.4-0.2 pts
146Washington County4.4+0.2 pts
146Wilbarger County4.4+0.3 pts
146Wilson County4.4+0.4 pts
159Bastrop County4.3+0.1 pts
159Clay County4.3+0.3 pts
159Concho County4.3+0.6 pts
159Denton County4.3+0.3 pts
159Ector County4.3+0.3 pts
159Erath County4.30 pts
159Gonzales County4.3+0.5 pts
159Hockley County4.30 pts
159Johnson County4.3+0.4 pts
159Llano County4.3+0.3 pts
159Lubbock County4.3+0.3 pts
159Wise County4.3+0.3 pts
159Yoakum County4.3-0.2 pts
172Brazos County4.2+0.1 pts
172Floyd County4.20 pts
172Franklin County4.2+0.5 pts
172Gray County4.2+0.1 pts
172Hansford County4.2+0.3 pts
172Jones County4.2+0.2 pts
172Lee County4.2+0.3 pts
172Leon County4.2+0.1 pts
172Rockwall County4.2+0.3 pts
172Ward County4.2+0.7 pts
182Burleson County4.1+0.3 pts
182Burnet County4.1+0.3 pts
182Coleman County4.1+0.3 pts
182Colorado County4.1+0.3 pts
182Deaf Smith County4.1+0.2 pts
182Irion County4.1+0.9 pts
182Reeves County4.1+0.2 pts
182Wheeler County4.1+0.8 pts
182Williamson County4.1+0.4 pts
191Hays County4+0.4 pts
191Runnels County4+0.4 pts
193Archer County3.9+0.2 pts
193Blanco County3.9+0.1 pts
193Collingsworth County3.9+0.4 pts
193Culberson County3.9-0.1 pts
193Hopkins County3.9+0.4 pts
193Kendall County3.9+0.2 pts
193Lamb County3.90 pts
193Lavaca County3.9+0.4 pts
193Mason County3.9+0.2 pts
193Parker County3.9+0.3 pts
193Taylor County3.9+0.2 pts
193Terrell County3.9+0.2 pts
193Travis County3.9+0.3 pts
206Andrews County3.8+0.5 pts
206Cooke County3.8-0.7 pts
206Foard County3.8+0.4 pts
206Kent County3.8-1.3 pts
206Kerr County3.8+0.1 pts
206Lynn County3.80 pts
206Shackelford County3.8+0.5 pts
206Tom Green County3.8+0.3 pts
214Callahan County3.70 pts
214Carson County3.7+0.6 pts
214Comanche County3.7+0.2 pts
214Dickens County3.7-0.3 pts
214Hardeman County3.7+0.3 pts
214Winkler County3.7+0.4 pts
214Young County3.7+0.2 pts
221Hartley County3.6+0.4 pts
221Knox County3.6-0.2 pts
221Mills County3.6-0.2 pts
221Mitchell County3.60 pts
225Briscoe County3.5+0.2 pts
225Gaines County3.50 pts
225Gillespie County3.5+0.2 pts
225Lipscomb County3.5+0.2 pts
225Ochiltree County3.5+0.2 pts
225Oldham County3.5+0.4 pts
225Randall County3.5+0.4 pts
225Sterling County3.5-0.1 pts
233Armstrong County3.4+0.1 pts
233Castro County3.4+0.3 pts
233Edwards County3.4+0.1 pts
233Fisher County3.4+0.5 pts
233Midland County3.40 pts
233Moore County3.4+0.2 pts
239Brewster County3.3-0.1 pts
239Martin County3.3-0.4 pts
239Parmer County3.30 pts
242Baylor County3.2+0.1 pts
242Crane County3.2+0.4 pts
242Dallam County3.2-0.1 pts
242Sherman County3.2-0.1 pts
246Crockett County3.1-0.4 pts
247Coke County3-0.6 pts
248Glasscock County2.80 pts
249Childress County2.70 pts
250King County2.3-0.5 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.

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Rank Counties in Texas by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate?

Starr County, with 9.9% in July 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate?

Loving County, with 0.7% in July 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