Texas Growth Continues, State Leads the Nation in Jobs Added Over the Last 12 Months
Press Releases
Media Contact: Angela Woellner
Phone: 512-463-8556
AUSTIN ⎯ Texas added 58,200 positions in February 2023, leading the nation in jobs added over the month. In February, the state reached 13,831,900 total nonfarm jobs. February also marks two full years of uninterrupted monthly job growth in Texas. Since February 2022, 611,400 jobs have been added in Texas. The Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.0 percent. However, the civilian labor force increased by 64,800 people which marked the largest monthly increase since September 2020.
“The past 24 months of uninterrupted job growth show the strength of the Texas economy and ongoing economic opportunities for Texans,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “To sustain this growth, TWC supports initiatives to develop a skilled workforce to match employer needs and provide Texans with the skills necessary to succeed.”
Professional and Business Services led job growth in February with 30,300 positions added, followed by Private Education and Health Services, which grew by 12,500 jobs. Trade, Transportation and Utilities employment added 5,800 jobs over the month.
“The extraordinary job growth we’ve seen over the past year shows Texas is booming and continues to be the best state for business,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “Our office is here to support Texas employers, large and small, as they grow and expand their operations utilizing resources including the Texas Conference for Employers, which helps businesses stay up-to-date on all things employer related.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) recorded the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 3.0 percent in February, followed by Amarillo at 3.5 percent, then Austin-Round Rock at 3.7 percent.
“If you’re looking to begin a new career or improve your current employment, TWC is a resource for training and upskilling,” observed TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “The continued addition of new jobs in February creates opportunities to be part of the great workforce in Texas.”
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.
The Texas Labor Market & Career Information Data for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 21, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. (CST).
| February 2023 | January 2023 | February 2022 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 166,178.0 | 159,713.0 | 6,465.0 | 3.9 | 165,070.0 | 158,692.0 | 6,378.0 | 3.9 | 163,725.0 | 156,942.0 | 6,782.0 | 4.1 |
| Texas | 15,046.6 | 14,369.4 | 677.3 | 4.5 | 14,877.6 | 14,254.8 | 622.8 | 4.2 | 14,613.8 | 13,979.1 | 634.7 | 4.3 |
| Abilene | 82.7 | 79.3 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 82.3 | 79.0 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 81.0 | 77.9 | 3.1 | 3.8 |
| Amarillo | 138.7 | 133.8 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 137.3 | 132.9 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 136.7 | 132.0 | 4.6 | 3.4 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,428.4 | 1,375.6 | 52.8 | 3.7 | 1,417.9 | 1,371.4 | 46.4 | 3.3 | 1,378.0 | 1,333.6 | 44.4 | 3.2 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 170.0 | 158.9 | 11.1 | 6.5 | 169.0 | 157.8 | 11.2 | 6.6 | 166.7 | 155.5 | 11.2 | 6.7 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 181.6 | 170.1 | 11.5 | 6.3 | 180.3 | 169.3 | 11.0 | 6.1 | 177.6 | 166.2 | 11.3 | 6.4 |
| College Station-Bryan | 151.6 | 145.9 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 147.4 | 142.2 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 147.1 | 142.1 | 5.0 | 3.4 |
| Corpus Christi | 205.4 | 194.9 | 10.6 | 5.1 | 202.6 | 192.5 | 10.1 | 5.0 | 203.9 | 192.5 | 11.4 | 5.6 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,386.7 | 4,206.1 | 180.7 | 4.1 | 4,342.9 | 4,179.4 | 163.5 | 3.8 | 4,221.1 | 4,057.3 | 163.7 | 3.9 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 2,974.3 | 2,852.1 | 122.2 | 4.1 | 2,943.1 | 2,832.7 | 110.4 | 3.7 | 2,858.4 | 2,748.9 | 109.5 | 3.8 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,412.5 | 1,354.0 | 58.5 | 4.1 | 1,399.9 | 1,346.7 | 53.2 | 3.8 | 1,362.7 | 1,308.5 | 54.2 | 4.0 |
| El Paso | 380.4 | 361.2 | 19.2 | 5.1 | 378.2 | 361.0 | 17.1 | 4.5 | 373.4 | 355.7 | 17.7 | 4.7 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,595.7 | 3,424.2 | 171.5 | 4.8 | 3,551.2 | 3,391.6 | 159.5 | 4.5 | 3,496.1 | 3,331.0 | 165.1 | 4.7 |
| Killeen-Temple | 188.2 | 178.2 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 186.0 | 176.8 | 9.2 | 4.9 | 183.9 | 175.0 | 8.9 | 4.8 |
| Laredo | 119.6 | 113.8 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 118.5 | 113.2 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 117.3 | 111.6 | 5.7 | 4.9 |
| Longview | 99.2 | 94.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 98.4 | 94.0 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 97.4 | 92.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Lubbock | 172.3 | 165.6 | 6.7 | 3.9 | 170.1 | 164.0 | 6.1 | 3.6 | 170.6 | 164.4 | 6.2 | 3.6 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 382.7 | 356.6 | 26.1 | 6.8 | 380.2 | 353.3 | 26.9 | 7.1 | 373.0 | 346.2 | 26.7 | 7.2 |
| Midland | 114.5 | 111.1 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 113.6 | 110.5 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 106.5 | 102.6 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Odessa | 86.4 | 83.0 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 85.7 | 82.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 82.5 | 78.6 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| San Angelo | 57.9 | 55.5 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 57.2 | 55.1 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 56.7 | 54.5 | 2.2 | 3.9 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,286.3 | 1,231.3 | 54.9 | 4.3 | 1,268.5 | 1,218.8 | 49.7 | 3.9 | 1,250.8 | 1,200.4 | 50.4 | 4.0 |
| Sherman-Denison | 67.8 | 64.8 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 67.1 | 64.4 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 65.2 | 62.5 | 2.7 | 4.1 |
| Texarkana | 62.8 | 60.1 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 62.4 | 59.6 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 62.6 | 59.5 | 3.1 | 4.9 |
| Tyler | 113.7 | 108.8 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 112.6 | 108.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 111.8 | 107.2 | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Victoria | 45.1 | 43.0 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 44.7 | 42.8 | 1.9 | 4.3 | 44.8 | 42.6 | 2.2 | 4.9 |
| Waco | 137.9 | 131.7 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 136.2 | 130.5 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 134.4 | 129.1 | 5.3 | 3.9 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.4 | 62.5 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 64.7 | 62.0 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 64.5 | 61.7 | 2.8 | 4.3 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Feb 2023* | Jan 2023 | Feb 2022 | Jan '23 to Feb '23 | Feb '22 to Feb '23 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 13,831,900 | 13,773,700 | 13,220,500 | 58,200 | 0.4 | 611,400 | 4.6 |
| Total Private | 11,803,800 | 11,750,200 | 11,243,700 | 53,600 | 0.5 | 560,100 | 5.0 |
| Goods Producing | 1,962,100 | 1,966,600 | 1,862,700 | -4,500 | -0.2 | 99,400 | 5.3 |
| Mining and Logging | 212,000 | 213,700 | 192,100 | -1,700 | -0.8 | 19,900 | 10.4 |
| Construction | 802,100 | 799,500 | 764,200 | 2,600 | 0.3 | 37,900 | 5.0 |
| Manufacturing | 948,000 | 953,400 | 906,400 | -5,400 | -0.6 | 41,600 | 4.6 |
| Service Providing | 11,869,800 | 11,807,100 | 11,357,800 | 62,700 | 0.5 | 512,000 | 4.5 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,758,000 | 2,752,200 | 2,687,800 | 5,800 | 0.2 | 70,200 | 2.6 |
| Information | 239,700 | 238,500 | 221,800 | 1,200 | 0.5 | 17,900 | 8.1 |
| Financial Activities | 907,100 | 905,100 | 863,400 | 2,000 | 0.2 | 43,700 | 5.1 |
| Professional and Business Services | 2,139,300 | 2,109,000 | 2,022,200 | 30,300 | 1.4 | 117,100 | 5.8 |
| Private Education and Health Services | 1,865,600 | 1,853,100 | 1,770,400 | 12,500 | 0.7 | 95,200 | 5.4 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,465,000 | 1,460,700 | 1,377,500 | 4,300 | 0.3 | 87,500 | 6.4 |
| Other Services | 467,000 | 465,000 | 437,900 | 2,000 | 0.4 | 29,100 | 6.6 |
| Government | 2,028,100 | 2,023,500 | 1,976,800 | 4,600 | 0.2 | 51,300 | 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.