Texas’ Civilian Labor Force Continues Growth
Press Releases
Media Contact: Catherine McKee
AUSTIN - The Lone Star State’s seasonally adjusted civilian labor force reached a new record high of 15,162,100 after growing by 20,900 people over the month in October. This marked the 10th consecutive monthly increase and included the addition of 21,100 Texans employed over the month. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent.
Total nonfarm employment dipped slightly over the month with a decrease of 1,300 jobs. As of October 2023, the Lone Star State’s seasonally adjusted job count numbered 14,048,200. Texas was first in the nation in over the year job growth with 391,500 jobs gained. The annual growth rate outpaced the nation’s by a full point, 2.9 percent compared to 1.9 percent nationally.
“Despite a small decrease in payroll jobs, the Texas labor force grew by nearly 21,000 people in October, with no change in the unemployment rate," said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “The Texas economy continues to grow, and there are nearly 480,000 job listings for individuals with the right skills, which TWC can help provide.”
Six of eleven major industries in Texas expanded over the month. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities saw significant growth with 5,300 jobs added while the Information industry gained 2,100 jobs in October. Another 1,500 positions were added in Professional and Business Services.
“Texas continues to outpace the nation in job growth as we expand workforce opportunities in multiple industries,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “This means doors continue to open for career pathways and for job seekers entering the workplace.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) maintained the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.4 percent in October, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.9 percent, and College Station-Bryan at 3.0 percent.
“Texas remains the best state in the nation to work, live, and own a business,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. “I encourage Texas employers, large and small, to utilize the services provided through the nearly 175 Workforce Solutions offices throughout Texas to hire skilled workers and build upon our state’s economic prosperity.”
Employment estimates released by TWC are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). *All estimates are subject to revision. To access this and more employment data, visit TexasLMI.com.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for November is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 22, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. (CDT).
| October 2023 | September 2023 | October 2022 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 167,774.0 | 161,676.0 | 6,098.0 | 3.6 | 167,718.0 | 161,669.0 | 6,049.0 | 3.6 | 164,753.0 | 159,144.0 | 5,609.0 | 3.4 |
| Texas | 15,183.9 | 14,605.4 | 578.5 | 3.8 | 15,178.1 | 14,558.1 | 620.0 | 4.1 | 14,731.8 | 14,189.2 | 542.7 | 3.7 |
| Abilene | 82.4 | 79.7 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 82.6 | 79.7 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 80.9 | 78.3 | 2.7 | 3.3 |
| Amarillo | 137.0 | 133.0 | 4.0 | 2.9 | 137.4 | 133.1 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 135.5 | 131.5 | 3.9 | 2.9 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,460.0 | 1,411.3 | 48.7 | 3.3 | 1,458.0 | 1,405.6 | 52.4 | 3.6 | 1,410.5 | 1,370.5 | 40.0 | 2.8 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 169.2 | 160.4 | 8.8 | 5.2 | 169.4 | 159.5 | 9.9 | 5.8 | 166.1 | 157.3 | 8.7 | 5.3 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 181.4 | 172.5 | 9.0 | 4.9 | 182.0 | 172.3 | 9.6 | 5.3 | 176.9 | 168.0 | 9.0 | 5.1 |
| College Station-Bryan | 152.9 | 148.3 | 4.6 | 3.0 | 149.4 | 144.6 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 148.6 | 144.1 | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Corpus Christi | 205.3 | 196.6 | 8.6 | 4.2 | 205.3 | 196.1 | 9.2 | 4.5 | 202.1 | 193.1 | 9.0 | 4.5 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,472.7 | 4,311.1 | 161.6 | 3.6 | 4,462.7 | 4,290.7 | 172.0 | 3.9 | 4,295.0 | 4,149.0 | 146.0 | 3.4 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 3,034.5 | 2,924.8 | 109.7 | 3.6 | 3,026.8 | 2,909.6 | 117.3 | 3.9 | 2,909.1 | 2,810.9 | 98.2 | 3.4 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,438.2 | 1,386.3 | 51.9 | 3.6 | 1,435.9 | 1,381.1 | 54.7 | 3.8 | 1,386.0 | 1,338.1 | 47.8 | 3.5 |
| El Paso | 379.7 | 363.0 | 16.6 | 4.4 | 377.5 | 359.9 | 17.6 | 4.7 | 373.3 | 357.8 | 15.4 | 4.1 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,625.2 | 3,476.9 | 148.2 | 4.1 | 3,632.7 | 3,472.8 | 159.8 | 4.4 | 3,530.3 | 3,391.1 | 139.2 | 3.9 |
| Killeen-Temple | 187.5 | 179.5 | 8.0 | 4.3 | 187.4 | 179.0 | 8.5 | 4.5 | 183.7 | 175.8 | 7.8 | 4.3 |
| Laredo | 119.7 | 115.2 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 119.7 | 115.0 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 117.0 | 112.7 | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| Longview | 98.9 | 94.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 99.2 | 94.8 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 97.6 | 93.7 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| Lubbock | 171.9 | 166.4 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 171.4 | 165.7 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 167.8 | 162.3 | 5.5 | 3.3 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 381.0 | 361.0 | 20.0 | 5.2 | 381.1 | 359.0 | 22.1 | 5.8 | 368.6 | 348.1 | 20.5 | 5.6 |
| Midland | 115.6 | 112.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 115.5 | 112.6 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 110.3 | 107.4 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| Odessa | 87.3 | 84.5 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 87.1 | 84.2 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 84.7 | 81.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| San Angelo | 57.2 | 55.3 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 57.2 | 55.2 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 56.2 | 54.3 | 1.8 | 3.3 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,296.8 | 1,250.4 | 46.4 | 3.6 | 1,291.5 | 1,242.0 | 49.4 | 3.8 | 1,256.6 | 1,212.2 | 44.4 | 3.5 |
| Sherman-Denison | 67.7 | 65.1 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 67.8 | 65.2 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 66.0 | 63.6 | 2.4 | 3.6 |
| Texarkana | 63.1 | 60.9 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 63.3 | 60.8 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 62.2 | 59.7 | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Tyler | 113.8 | 109.7 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 114.0 | 109.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 112.0 | 107.9 | 4.1 | 3.6 |
| Victoria | 45.1 | 43.3 | 1.7 | 3.9 | 45.2 | 43.4 | 1.9 | 4.1 | 44.6 | 42.8 | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Waco | 137.3 | 132.6 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 137.7 | 132.7 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 134.2 | 129.5 | 4.6 | 3.4 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.0 | 62.6 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 65.1 | 62.5 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 63.8 | 61.5 | 2.4 | 3.7 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Oct 2023* | Sep 2023 | Oct 2022 | Sep '23 to Oct '23 | Oct '22 to Oct '23 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 14,048,200 | 14,049,500 | 13,656,700 | -1,300 | 0.0 | 391,500 | 2.9 |
| Total Private | 11,979,900 | 11,981,300 | 11,640,500 | -1,400 | 0.0 | 339,400 | 2.9 |
| Goods Producing | 2,009,700 | 2,010,800 | 1,942,600 | -1,100 | -0.1 | 67,100 | 3.5 |
| Mining and Logging | 225,900 | 224,500 | 207,000 | 1,400 | 0.6 | 18,900 | 9.1 |
| Construction | 810,500 | 812,400 | 793,500 | -1,900 | -0.2 | 17,000 | 2.1 |
| Manufacturing | 973,300 | 973,900 | 942,100 | -600 | -0.1 | 31,200 | 3.3 |
| Service Providing | 12,038,500 | 12,038,700 | 11,714,100 | -200 | 0.0 | 324,400 | 2.8 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,804,300 | 2,799,000 | 2,746,300 | 5,300 | 0.2 | 58,000 | 2.1 |
| Information | 240,900 | 238,800 | 234,200 | 2,100 | 0.9 | 6,700 | 2.9 |
| Financial Activities | 925,200 | 926,500 | 891,700 | -1,300 | -0.1 | 33,500 | 3.8 |
| Professional and Business Services | 2,144,800 | 2,143,300 | 2,105,800 | 1,500 | 0.1 | 39,000 | 1.9 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,914,400 | 1,914,300 | 1,829,100 | 100 | 0.0 | 85,300 | 4.7 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,469,700 | 1,474,700 | 1,433,900 | -5,000 | -0.3 | 35,800 | 2.5 |
| Other Services | 470,900 | 473,900 | 456,900 | -3,000 | -0.6 | 14,000 | 3.1 |
| Government | 2,068,300 | 2,068,200 | 2,016,200 | 100 | 0.0 | 52,100 | 2.6 |
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Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers, and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and its services in coordination with its local workforce development boards network, call 800-628-5115 or visit https://twc.texas.gov/. Subscribe to email updates to receive notifications about TWC programs and services.