Texas' Civilian Labor Force records seventh consecutive month of growth

THE WOODLANDS, TX ? Texas’ seasonally adjusted civilian labor force achieved a new record-high of 15,353,700 after adding 41,900 people over the month in July. This marks a seventh consecutive month of growth for Texas’ civilian labor force. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force has added 248,900 people.

The state’s seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment, which refers to the number of filled jobs within Texas, showed a decrease of 14,500 jobs— from 14,180,900 in June to 14,166,400 in July. However, Texas’ nonfarm job count grew by 265,500 positions since July 2023. This reflected a 1.9 percent annual growth rate, which outpaced the nation by 0.3 percentage points.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas registered at 4.1 percent, which was 0.2 percentage points below the national rate.

“Despite a slight decrease in the total number of jobs, the Texas civilian labor force continues to break records,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “There are still more than half a million job listings in the state, which create career opportunities for Texans.”

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 7,300 jobs in July, registering as the industry with the largest over-the-month increase. Financial Activities added 2,500 jobs over the month and Mining and Logging added 1,300 jobs. With the addition of 900 jobs in July, Construction showed 4.0 percent growth over the year, which outpaced the industry’s national growth rate by a full percentage point.

“Texas is outperforming the national unemployment rate which signifies the strength of our labor market,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “TWC offers a wide array of resources to help job seekers take advantage of opportunities and propel their careers to the next level.”

The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.8 percent in July, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 3.4 percent. The unemployment rate for the Austin-Round Rock and College Station-Bryan MSAs registered at 3.6 percent. The College Station-Bryan MSA ranked first in the nation for largest over-the-year percentage increase in nonfarm employment at 6.0 percent not seasonally adjusted.

“As career paths open in a variety of industries, the Texas Workforce Commission can help employers hire, train, and retain their future workforce,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. “Initiatives like the Skills Development Fund provide Texas businesses the opportunity to administer customized training that best supports their needs.”

Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. *All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com.