AUSTIN, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement on Tuesday praising Texas residents and employers for helping the state become “the national leader in job creation,” citing the December data released from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

According to a news release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas added 650,100 nonfarm jobs in 2022, growing jobs at a rate of 5%, the largest reported rate in the United States. Texas reported a total of 13,705,500 jobs at the end of 2022.

“It is no surprise that Texas leads the nation for job creation, adding more jobs in 2022 and growing at a faster rate than any other state,” Abbott said in the release. “Freed from the burden of over-taxation and the stranglehold of over-regulation, businesses continue to invest in Texas and in the best workforce in America. As a result, more Texans are working than ever before, putting even more Texas families on the path to prosperity. Texas works when Texans work, and in this legislative session, we will continue expanding opportunity and ensuring Texas remains the best state to live, work, build a business, and raise a family.”

This announcement comes after the Texas Workforce Commission released unemployment data for the state earlier this month. According to previous reports by MyHIghPlains.com, Texas reported a state unemployment rate of 3.6% in December and saw an increase of 29,500 nonfarm jobs in December.

Amarillo, along with Midland, tied for the lowest unemployment rate in Texas at 2.6% for December 2022, a decrease from Amarillo’s 2.8% rate from November 2022.