Texas Ahead: Tracking the Texas Economy via Susan Combs, Texas Comptroller

Updated February 24, 2012

Texas total nonfarm employment increased by 20,200 from November to December. Between December 2010 and December 2011, Texas gained 204.500 jobs, a 2.0 percent increase.

Over the past year, Texas added jobs in eight of the eleven major industries sectors, including educational and health services, professional and business services, trade, transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing and mining and logging.

During the 12 months ending in December 2011, 30,180 multi-family building permits were issued, 59 percent more than the same period ending in December 2010.

In January 2012, the Texas foreclosure rate was one in every 1,098 mortgages, substantially better than Nevada's one in 198, California's one in 265 and Arizona's one in 325.

The Texas region's Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for January 2012 topped out at 88.9, a 19.5 percent increase from its level one year ago. The January mark and November's 91.0 are the highest the region's CCI have been since September 2008 (93.0). The CCI is a barometer of the country's economic health from the perspective of the consumer. It is compiled through a survey of 5,000 households, which gathers consumers' opinions on current conditions and future expectations of the economy.

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