Construction workers make up nearly 1 in 3 unemployment claims in three RGV counties

Construction workers made up nearly one-third of unemployment claims filed in Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties during the first three months of 2026, far more than workers in any other industry, according to a new Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande report.

The report — which covers Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties — analyzed unemployment claims made from January through March. Of the 8,388 claims files, 2,652 came from construction workers — 31.6% of the total.

The next-largest category wasn’t close.

Administrative and support services accounted for 1,066 claims, or 12.7%. Health care and social assistance followed with 750 claims, or 8.9%, while professional, scientific and technical services accounted for 564, or 6.7%.

Workforce Solutions said construction’s project-based nature is one reason workers frequently cycle between jobs. Workers may be hired when a project begins and released when it ends.

The agency also pointed to a lack of portable credentials that could help workers move more quickly from one construction employer to another, including skilled-trade licenses, Occupational Safety and Health Administration certifications and equipment operator qualifications.

The figures emerge as the Valley’s construction industry is already facing broader pressures.

The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal has previously reported that local builders and contractors have experienced workforce disruptions amid stepped-up immigration enforcement, along with higher construction costs, elevated interest rates and uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

The Workforce Solutions report does not attribute the 2,652 construction claims to those pressures or identify why individual workers lost their jobs.

Valley unemployment remains high

The construction numbers come as unemployment across the Rio Grande Valley remains considerably higher than state and national levels.

In July, the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area’s unemployment rate stood at 6.8%, while Brownsville-Harlingen was at 7%, according to Texas Workforce Commission figures.

Texas, by comparison, had a 4.8% unemployment rate, while the national rate was 4.4%. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

That’s an economic indicator of a larger shift, as Texas often has a lower unemployment rate than the national average. 

Both Valley metros have improved from a year ago. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission was at 7% unemployment in July 2025, while Brownsville-Harlingen was at 7.7%.

“The unemployment rate is an important measure, but it does not tell the whole workforce story,” Francisco Almaraz, CEO of Workforce Solutions, said in announcing the report Thursday.

Recent employment data also show construction moving in different directions across the Valley. Mining, logging and construction employment increased 1% over the year through July in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, while it fell 5.26% in Brownsville-Harlingen.

Who is filing for unemployment?

The new report also provides a clearer picture of the workers behind the unemployment claims.

More than half — 53% — were between 25 and 44 years old, and the median claimant was 36. Nearly two-thirds, or 63%, had a high school diploma or less.

Workforce Solutions said the concentration among prime working-age residents represents an opportunity to get workers back into jobs while helping some obtain additional skills and credentials.

More than 6,100 unemployment claimants returned to work within 10 weeks, according to the agency.

Construction training among areas targeted

Workforce Solutions is also putting money into workforce training as employers continue to report difficulty finding qualified applicants, retaining employees and filling technical jobs.

The agency said it has secured or is in the process of receiving approximately $24.2 million in training investments over the past year through federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding and competitive statewide grants.

Construction trades are one of three areas being targeted through industry partnerships, alongside health care and information technology. Those partnerships are intended to connect training more closely with the skills employers need. 

Earlier this month, the Texas Workforce Commission separately awarded Workforce Solutions Lower Rio Grande an $85,924 grant that will help purchase equipment for construction and other career-training programs at Rio Grande City-Grulla Independent School District.