Texas led the country in job growth last month, and it continues to break previous records in what appears to be a monthly pattern.
Texas’ Workforce Reaches Record High, 27th Consecutive Month Of Growth
In May, Texas recorded the highest total number of jobs, the highest total number of Texans working, and the largest total Texas labor force in state history.
According to Forney, May job totals helped Texas achieve its 20th consecutive series high and 27th consecutive month of growth.
Texas set a new record for total Texans working, including hired and self-employed people, with 14,393,000. Texas also set a new record with the greatest overall workforce in state history (15,009,300).
According to a press release, Governor Greg Abbott commended Texas’ strong economy, noting that it serves as a national model. He highlighted the fact that more Texans are employed than ever before and that Texas leads the country in job creation over the past year. The state’s record-breaking streak of job growth for 20 consecutive months demonstrates the positive impact of a thriving free enterprise system, resulting in a prosperous Texas with a workforce exceeding 15 million people, surpassing the populations of 46 states.
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Texas Civilian Labor Force Reaches 15 Million, Job Growth Exceeds Expectations
Since Abbott took office, the state has gained over 2.1 million jobs.
As reported by kvue, the Texas Workforce Commission announced that the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Texas surpassed 15 million for the first time ever. In the month of May, an additional 49,000 individuals joined the labor force, bringing the total to 15,009,300, according to the commission’s statement released alongside the latest employment data.
In the previous month, Texas witnessed the highest increase in total nonfarm employment compared to any other state, with 51,000 positions added, resulting in a total of 13,918,700 nonfarm jobs.
According to thecentersquare, employment has expanded by 529,800 positions since May 2022, exceeding every state in the US in terms of both the amount and percentage of jobs acquired.
According to TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel, Texas is a fantastic environment for both companies and job seekers, with a record-breaking 15 million Texans participating in the civilian labor market. And there is even more opportunity for Texans and the Texas economy with the 687,000 job opportunities reported by Texas firms.
Texas surpassed the country in monthly and yearly job growth, with a 4% annual increase from May 2022 to May 2023, compared to 2.7% nationally.
Professional and Business Services created 21,500 jobs last month, followed by Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 11,800, and Mining and Logging, which added 7,000.
Statewide, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.1%, still higher than the national average of 3.4%.
The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area had the lowest unemployment rate of 2.6%, followed by the Amarillo and College Station-Bryan MSAs, which had 3.2% and 3.4%, respectively, and the Lubbock and Odessa MSAs, which had 3.4%. The highest unemployment rate is 6.3% in Beaumont-Port Arthur, followed by 6.2% in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission and 5.7% in Brownsville-Harlingen.
Texas also has the greatest economic growth in the country, has been named the “Best State for Business” for the 19th year in a row, and has the most Fortune 500 company headquarters in the country.
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