Texas Labor Market Reached Historic Highs in 2023
Press Releases
AUSTIN ⎯ The Texas labor market reached historic highs in 2023, breaking records in employment growth and civilian labor force. In December, the state’s seasonally adjusted job count reached 14,103,300 jobs, an increase of 19,100 over the month—marking 27 consecutive months of new series employment highs.
Texas' employment growth rate continued to outpace the nation by a full percentage point, with 2.7 percent annual growth in the state from December 2022 to December 2023, compared to the nation’s 1.7 percent.
The Texas seasonally adjusted civilian labor force grew over the month by 11,100 people to reach 15,203,900 in December. This marked a 12th consecutive monthly increase and included the addition of 18,400 Texans employed. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 4.1 percent in November to 4.0 percent in December.
“Texas’ record-breaking employment growth remains a clear sign of the state’s economic strength,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel. “We finished 2023 with thousands more jobs in the state than at any other time in history.”
Statewide, seven of 11 major industries in Texas achieved series highs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities saw significant growth with 7,100 jobs added, while 6,800 jobs were added in Private Education and Health Services and Leisure and Hospitality, respectively.
“The month-over-month increase in jobs is good news for every Texan,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III. “This continued growth shows that job seekers are taking advantage of career opportunities in the Lone Star State. TWC has the resources, services, and training to upskill job seekers and meet the demands of Texas employers.”
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) maintained the lowest unemployment rate among Texas MSAs with a not seasonally adjusted rate of 2.1 percent in December, followed by the Amarillo MSA at 2.5 percent, and College Station-Bryan at 2.6 percent.
"The data shows Texas employers continue to grow and thrive as all major industries in the state expanded over the year,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. “To continue this growth, TWC and our 28 Workforce Solutions partners offer an array of resources for businesses to upskill, create new jobs and keep pace with the rapidly growing Texas economy.”
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 January is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 8, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).
| December 2023 | November 2023 | December 2022 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | C.L.F. | Emp. | Unemp. | Rate | |
| United States | 166,661.0 | 160,754.0 | 5,907.0 | 3.5 | 167,977.0 | 162,149.0 | 5,827.0 | 3.5 | 164,224.0 | 158,872.0 | 5,352.0 | 3.3 |
| Texas | 15,147.8 | 14,619.4 | 528.5 | 3.5 | 15,276.3 | 14,741.6 | 534.7 | 3.5 | 14,773.9 | 14,260.8 | 513.2 | 3.5 |
| Abilene | 82.2 | 79.7 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 82.9 | 80.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 81.3 | 78.8 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| Amarillo | 136.7 | 133.2 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 138.4 | 134.8 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 136.0 | 132.5 | 3.5 | 2.6 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 1,453.6 | 1,410.5 | 43.2 | 3.0 | 1,468.2 | 1,423.7 | 44.5 | 3.0 | 1,411.4 | 1,374.2 | 37.2 | 2.6 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | 169.9 | 161.0 | 8.9 | 5.2 | 171.0 | 162.3 | 8.7 | 5.1 | 167.1 | 157.6 | 9.5 | 5.7 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | 181.1 | 172.4 | 8.7 | 4.8 | 183.2 | 174.6 | 8.5 | 4.7 | 178.4 | 169.1 | 9.3 | 5.2 |
| College Station-Bryan | 151.7 | 147.7 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 153.9 | 149.8 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 147.9 | 143.9 | 4.0 | 2.7 |
| Corpus Christi | 205.0 | 197.2 | 7.8 | 3.8 | 206.9 | 198.9 | 7.9 | 3.8 | 201.6 | 193.1 | 8.5 | 4.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 4,459.2 | 4,314.1 | 145.1 | 3.3 | 4,494.9 | 4,346.8 | 148.1 | 3.3 | 4,312.6 | 4,177.5 | 135.1 | 3.1 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving MD | 3,024.7 | 2,926.0 | 98.8 | 3.3 | 3,051.0 | 2,950.4 | 100.7 | 3.3 | 2,920.5 | 2,829.2 | 91.3 | 3.1 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington MD | 1,434.4 | 1,388.2 | 46.3 | 3.2 | 1,443.9 | 1,396.4 | 47.4 | 3.3 | 1,392.1 | 1,348.3 | 43.8 | 3.1 |
| El Paso | 378.5 | 363.9 | 14.6 | 3.9 | 381.1 | 366.0 | 15.1 | 4.0 | 375.1 | 361.1 | 14.0 | 3.7 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 3,620.9 | 3,483.0 | 137.9 | 3.8 | 3,644.9 | 3,506.5 | 138.4 | 3.8 | 3,538.1 | 3,405.3 | 132.8 | 3.8 |
| Killeen-Temple | 186.9 | 179.8 | 7.1 | 3.8 | 188.8 | 181.5 | 7.3 | 3.9 | 184.3 | 177.1 | 7.2 | 3.9 |
| Laredo | 120.2 | 116.0 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 120.8 | 116.6 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 117.5 | 113.4 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
| Longview | 99.3 | 95.4 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 99.8 | 96.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 97.1 | 93.5 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
| Lubbock | 170.9 | 166.2 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 173.2 | 168.2 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 168.5 | 163.6 | 4.8 | 2.9 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 383.7 | 361.5 | 22.2 | 5.8 | 387.9 | 367.5 | 20.3 | 5.2 | 375.9 | 352.5 | 23.5 | 6.2 |
| Midland | 115.6 | 113.2 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 116.7 | 114.2 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 111.8 | 109.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 |
| Odessa | 87.0 | 84.5 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 87.5 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 85.0 | 82.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 |
| San Angelo | 57.3 | 55.6 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 57.8 | 56.1 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 56.5 | 54.8 | 1.7 | 3.0 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 1,297.7 | 1,256.9 | 40.8 | 3.1 | 1,303.4 | 1,261.3 | 42.1 | 3.2 | 1,257.5 | 1,217.1 | 40.4 | 3.2 |
| Sherman-Denison | 67.7 | 65.5 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 68.2 | 65.9 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 66.6 | 64.3 | 2.2 | 3.3 |
| Texarkana | 63.0 | 60.7 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 63.4 | 61.3 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 62.3 | 60.0 | 2.3 | 3.7 |
| Tyler | 113.3 | 109.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 114.4 | 110.7 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 112.4 | 108.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Victoria | 45.0 | 43.5 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 45.4 | 43.8 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 44.8 | 43.2 | 1.6 | 3.5 |
| Waco | 136.9 | 132.8 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 138.3 | 134.1 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 134.7 | 130.4 | 4.3 | 3.2 |
| Wichita Falls | 65.0 | 62.8 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 65.5 | 63.3 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 64.1 | 61.9 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| INDUSTRY TITLE | Dec 2023* | Nov 2023 | Dec 2022 | Nov '23 to Dec '23 | Dec '22 to Dec '23 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Change | Percent Change | Absolute Change | Percent Change | ||||
| Total Nonagricultural | 14,103,300 | 14,084,200 | 13,733,700 | 19,100 | 0.1 | 369,600 | 2.7 |
| Total Private | 12,031,300 | 12,014,400 | 11,716,500 | 16,900 | 0.1 | 314,800 | 2.7 |
| Goods Producing | 2,024,100 | 2,016,700 | 1,952,100 | 7,400 | 0.4 | 72,000 | 3.7 |
| Mining and Logging | 226,400 | 222,500 | 211,300 | 3,900 | 1.8 | 15,100 | 7.1 |
| Construction | 822,000 | 819,500 | 789,200 | 2,500 | 0.3 | 32,800 | 4.2 |
| Manufacturing | 975,700 | 974,700 | 951,600 | 1,000 | 0.1 | 24,100 | 2.5 |
| Service Providing | 12,079,200 | 12,067,500 | 11,781,600 | 11,700 | 0.1 | 297,600 | 2.5 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 2,803,400 | 2,796,300 | 2,752,300 | 7,100 | 0.3 | 51,100 | 1.9 |
| Information | 240,300 | 242,300 | 235,800 | -2,000 | -0.8 | 4,500 | 1.9 |
| Financial Activities | 929,300 | 929,100 | 898,700 | 200 | 0.0 | 30,600 | 3.4 |
| Professional and Business Services | 2,141,700 | 2,156,200 | 2,113,100 | -14,500 | -0.7 | 28,600 | 1.4 |
| Education and Health Services | 1,932,200 | 1,925,400 | 1,850,600 | 6,800 | 0.4 | 81,600 | 4.4 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 1,482,300 | 1,475,500 | 1,452,100 | 6,800 | 0.5 | 30,200 | 2.1 |
| Other Services | 478,000 | 472,900 | 461,800 | 5,100 | 1.1 | 16,200 | 3.5 |
| Government | 2,072,000 | 2,069,800 | 2,017,200 | 2,200 | 0.1 | 54,800 | 2.7 |
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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.