Texas Workforce Commission released the May unemployment rates last Friday and the state gained over 256,000 jobs in the last year, and saw a slight rise in the jobless numbers, now at 4.3 percent.

 

Texas continues to trend well below the U.S. unemployment rate of 5.5 percent.

 

Shelby County's May rate is 4.9 percent, up slightly from 4.5 percent in April. Althought the rate has inched up a bit, it's still below that of the same time in 2014 when it was 5.7 percent.

 

The TWC says Shelby County has a labor force of 11,713, with 569 looking for work.

 

In San Augustine County, the May unemployment is 8.6 percent, down from 9 percent last month, and over half a percent less than May 2014's 9.3 percent.

 

San Augustine County has a labor force of 2,790, with 241 unemployed.

 

In neighboring counties, May 2015 unemployment: Nacogdoches 4.6 percent, Angelina 5.5 percent, Panola 4.5 percent, and Sabine County 8.7 percent.