The Economic Value of Water and Ecosystem Preservation

The total number of full-time and part-time jobs increased from 10,290 in
2001 to 10,646 in 2005, which represents an employment growth of 3.45 percent
(Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2007). The unemployment rate grew from 5.90
percent in 2000 to 8.20 percent in 2004; however, in 2006 the unemployment
rate decreased considerably to 4.8 percent (Figure 5-5). From January 2007 to
June 2007, the average unemployment rate was 4.3 percent.
Figure 5-5. Unemployment rate by County, 2000-2005
9.0%
8.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
0.0%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Texas Workforce Commission, 2007
Aransas Calhoun Refugio Texas
Aransas County’s major employers are ACISD (Aransas County Independent
School District), Wal-Mart, H.E.B, Wood Group Production Services, Aransas
County, City of Rockport, State of Texas, Gulf Pointe Plaza, Rockport Coastal
Care Center, and Oak Crest Nursing Center (Rockport – Fulton, n.d).
Figure 5-6 shows the percentage of employment by sector in 2005. The
major industry employers are Trade (16%), Accommodation and Food Services
(13%), the Government (10%) and Fishing (10%).
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