Brigitte has been named a 5-star real estate agent for 2011! Brigitte Mueller Realtor® since 1991 Broker Affiliation: JB Goodwin Realtors® 3933 Steck Avenue Suite #B101 Austin, TX 78759 A MID-YEAR ECONOMIC AND REAL ESTATE REVIEW HIGHLIGHTING THE GROWING AUSTIN MARKET! Austin's jobless rate drops to 5.5 percent, new data shows By American-Statesman Staff | Friday, May 18, 2012    Led by a rebound in the construction industry, Austin continued its steady job growth in April, helping the metro area's unemployment rate drop to 5.5 percent, its lowest level in more than three years, according to the Texas Workforce Commission's monthly report released today.    The Austin area added 6,300 jobs overall in April for a 2.4 percent annual growth rate, according to the Workforce Commission. The area's unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, compared with 6 percent in March. The last time the Austin area's unemployment rate was at 5.5 percent or lower was December 2008, according to Workforce Commission data.    The state's unemployment rate in April dropped to 6.5 percent, from 7 percent in March. Part of the reason for Austin's job growth was the construction sector, which added 2,100 jobs in April, a 6.1 percent annual growth rate. That's a reversal from March, which saw that sector surprisingly lose 2,300 jobs - 5.5 percent decline - from the previous month.    USA unemployment rate was 8.1% in April 2012.