AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It seems we are always telling you about new jobs coming to the Panhandle, so how is the unemployment rating looking?
We spoke to local officials who say right now Amarillo is sitting at 5.1% unemployment as of December, which may seem high but is actually a pretty healthy rate.
Officials say usually 3% of the population isn't looking for work, maybe they are a stay at home mom, and the other 2% is in the process.
Amarillo Economic Developement Corporation Executive Director Buzz David said, "We're at way beyond full employment in most circles so being up around the four and a half percent range, certainly it is not a great thing but there are of reasons why those numbers go up. Mostly those jobs are in other sectors that didn't survive."
David added over the past 20 years, AEDC has assisted in bringing over 50,000 jobs to the Panhandle.
Officials say we are seeing a downward trend in unemployment rates, and with new companies like Zarges coming to the area, that certainly doesn't hurt either.
