Economic Indicators of the College Station-Bryan MSA, December 2019

Abstract

The College Station-Bryan Business-Cycle Index rose 0.8% between September and October for an annualized rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate remains near its historical low but did exhibit a small 0.1 percentage point increase in October to 2.7%. Nonfarm employment figures were revised this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The revised series shows an increase in employment of 0.5% from September to October 2019 and a 3.4% increase relative to October 2018. Total wages in the local area increased at an annual rate of 0.6% between the first and second quarter of 2019. Taxable sales increased by 4.8% in October and are up 8.2% from the same month in 2018. The focus this month is on the characteristics of the local housing market and compares the changes in local housing prices to those in other Texas MSAs.