Strategic Business Plan 2017 - 2020 Strategic Business Plan 2017 - 2020 | Page 19

Analysis of the Regional Workforce & LMI trends
An analysis of the regional workforce, including current labor force employment and unemployment data, information
on labor market trends, and educational and skill levels of the workforce, including individuals with barriers to
employment.
The Coastal Bend WDA’s unemployment rate continues to fluctuate at a rate higher than the state and
national levels. It has yet to recover from the loss of oil and gas jobs lost since the end of 2014. This is most
evident in counties outside to the Corpus Christi MSA (Nueces, Aransas and San Patricio counties).
Area
Aransas County
Bee County
Brooks County
Duval County
Jim Wells County
Kenedy County
Kleberg County
Live Oak County
McMullen County
Nueces County
Refugio County
San Patricio County
Coastal Bend
2014 Annual UI  2015 Annual  October 2016 UI 
Rate
UI Rate
Rate
5.5
5.1
5.7
5.8
6.3
7.2
7.7
10
10.6
5.6
8.2
10.7
5.2
7.9
9.6
2.9
2.8
4.5
5.4
6
6.4
3.6
4.1
5
2
2.1
1.7
5.1
4.9
5.3
4.3
5.3
7
6.2
6.5
7.3
5.3
5.5
6.1
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