Occupation and Employment
| Civilian Labor Force |
2009 |
2009 Female |
2009 Male |
2014 Projection |
2014 Female |
2014 Male |
| % Employed | 93.9 | 94.43 | ||||
| % Unemployed | 6.08 | 5.54 | ||||
| % in Labor Force | 61.06 | 61.37 | ||||
| Employed | 40,391 | 49,931 | 40,394 | 50,876 | ||
| Unemployed | 2,644 | 3,023 | 2,308 | 3,048 |
Source: Sites on Texas; the Kilgore Labor market commute area consists of all or part of the following counties: Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Wood
The results are in from a 2010 Labor Market Study conducted by UT Tyler, and Kilgore’s labor market is plentiful, skilled and mobile.
With hidden unemployment, such as new entrants and discouraged workers, the Kilgore area unemployment rate is 16.2%. By including the number of those who are employed but willing to change jobs, the rate grows to 42%.
Available workers listed former occupations that were mainly in transportation and material moving; sales and related; management; installation, maintenance, and repair; and office and administrative support.
In addition, employees are willing to commute 24 miles one way to work.
The area workforce is heavily concentrated in the manufacturing, services, and trade sectors. Manufacturing and the oil and gas sector employment accounts for 20% of all jobs in the labor force. A highly skilled labor force contributes to this area’s high manufacturing base with more than 200 manufacturers in a 40-mile radius. Of the major manufacturing companies in this area, 31% are involved in machinery manufacturing and 24% - fabricated metal products manufacturing.
*Represented by ten or more companies in area
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