AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The Texas unemployment rate for March held steady at 4 percent for the third straight month.

The Texas Workforce Commission on Friday announced last month's jobless rate mirrored statewide unemployment for January and February. The nationwide jobless rate in March was 4.1 percent.

TWC officials say the Midland area had the lowest unemployment rate in Texas last month at 2.4 percent. The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area had the state's highest jobless rate during March at 6.9 percent. 

Commission authorities say the Texas economy added 32,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in March, which marked 21 consecutive months of employment growth. Over the year, Texas has added 294,100 jobs.