JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — The Beaumont-Port Arthur area saw its unemployment rate decline from 5.9% to 5.6% between August and September, according to the latest figures from the Texas Workforce Commission.

The decrease comes as construction hiring has led to more people finding jobs and an increase in available positions in the region, the commission said.

Texas added 4,600 nonfarm jobs in September, bringing the state's total to 14,343,800 positions, according to TWC. Over the year, the state gained 168,000 jobs for an annual growth rate of 1.2%, which outpaced the national growth rate by 0.4 percentage points.

The state's civilian labor force reached a record high of 15,879,000 after adding 21,700 people in September. Over the year, Texas' civilian labor force has grown by 164,000 pe

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