Midland's labor force drops by 1,000 FacebookTwitterEmail Unemployment in the Texas Workforce Commission’s Midland metropolitan statistical area (MSA) – which includes Midland and Martin counties – inched up to 8.2 percent in January from 8 percent in December. The rate in January 2020 was 2.4 percent.JAY JANNER, MBR / TNS Unemployment in the Texas Workforce Commission’s Midland metropolitan statistical area (MSA) – which includes Midland and Martin counties – inched up to 8.2 percent in January from 8 percent in December. The rate in January 2020 was 2.4 percent. Midland’s civilian labor force fell by 1,000 to 97,723 from 98,752 in December while the number of employed also fell, to 89,671 from 90,805 in December. The number of unemployed rose by about 100 to 8,052 from 7,947.