National employment vs. local Fort Bend employment stats

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics came out with interesting employment statistics over the past week. Nationally, unemployment is at a 4-year high while Fort Bend County had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., according to preliminary data released July 24th by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Fort Bend County, which contains a portion of southwest Houston, experienced an over-the-year employment gain of 7.4 percent, compared with national job growth of 0.8 percent for the fourth quarter of 2007.

The Fort Bend County stats are for the end of 2007 while the national stats are more current for July 2008.

What does this mean for Fort Bend employment today? Is unemployment here up or down? What are you seeing out there Fort Bend job seekers?

Fort Bend stats source news release: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
National stats source news release: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics