AQUA BOOK 2014 | Page 15

Brooks County BY THE NUMBERS 2013 Population 7,136 Employment 3,171 Unemployment Rate 7.4% Wages Per Employee $48,782 Average Personal Income $34,526 Sales Volume ($ mil) 111 Brooks county Employment Growth has experienced 12 15% relatively slow 10 economic growth since the South 10% 8 Texas economy 6 pulled back in 2009. 5% More than one in 4 10 people in the 2 0% workforce were 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 0 unemployed during 2008 -5% that year. Compared to other counties in the Coastal Bend, -10% its labor market has improved more 2013, its local unemployment rate at 7.4 slowly. With slower job growth than its percent remained two percentage points surrounding communities, the county above the 2008 levels. There was little gain has also been losing its population. In in local wage earnings during 2013, and Change From 2012 -0.3% 1.4% 0.3% 0.3% 4.9% -1.6% Change From 2008 -2.8% 1.3% 2.0% 19.1% 32.3% 12.6% Unemployment Rate U.S. Texas 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 the proportionally larger gain of nearly 5 percent in personal income among local residents was largely due to the loss in population. The labor market in Brooks Industry Composition by Employment, 2013 Unclassified Agriculture Industry 3.6% 0.0% Mining 10.1% Accommodation & Food Services 10.3% Health Care & Social Assistance 13.6% Arts & Recreation 0.6% Construction 3.5% Manufacturing 0.4% Information 0.4% Wholesale Trade Retail Trade 0.4% 13.2% Transportation & Warehousing 1.5% Government 30.1% Other Services (except Public Admin) 2.0% Utilities 0.4% Educational Services (Private) 0.0% county has recovered at a modest but steady pace since mid-2000. Employment grew 1.4 percent in 2013, after two years of gains at more than twice as much. Its county unemployment rate has been the highest among all counties in the Coastal Bend. With slow job creation, local unemployment remained elevated in the past year. The county’s unemployment rate averaged at 7.4 percent in 2013, more than one full percentage point above the Coastal Bend average. Finance & Real Estate & Insurance 3.4% Rental 0.4% Professional & Scientific Services Administrative & Management 1.7% of Businesses Support 0.0% иД()