(The Center Square) – Texas continued its streak in leading the U.S. in job creation in September.
The data was not previously available due to the federal government shutdown. The Texas Workforce Commission released new data on Thursday.
In September, Texas set three new records: it reported the greatest number of Texans working, the largest labor force in state history, and the greatest number of total jobs.
Texas set a new record high for having the largest labor force in recorded state history of 15,879,000 in September.
This is after Texas added 21,700 people over the month, “reaching a new record high level for the series,” the TWC said.
Texas also set a new record high for having the greatest number of Texans working, including the self-employed, at 15,222,900, in September.
Texas also reached a new record high for having the greatest number of nonfarm jobs of 14,343,800 after adding 4,600 positions over the month, according to the data.
“Texas is where free enterprise flourishes and jobs grow,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “That is why Texas leads all states with the largest 12-month jobs gain in the nation. From innovative startups to Fortune 500 corporations, job-creating businesses invest with confidence in Texas. With our strong and growing workforce, we will continue to expand career and technical training programs for better jobs and bigger paycheck opportunities for more Texans.”
From September 2024 to September 2025, Texas employers added 168,000 jobs for an annual nonfarm growth rate of 1.2%, outpacing the national growth rate by 0.4% and leading all other states in job creation.
“Texas’ job market and labor force continue to grow because we have a dynamic workforce system that fosters opportunity for businesses and workers alike,” TWC Chairman Joe Esparza said in a statement. “TWC will continue to provide the resources and support needed to keep this momentum and ensure that Texas remains a national leader in economic opportunity.”
The construction industry reported the largest private sector over-the-month increase in September, adding 4,300 jobs. The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sector added 2,000 jobs over the month; Other Services added 1,500.
The Leisure and Hospitality sector posted an annual growth rate of 2.2% in September, the highest of any major industry, the TWC said.
“TWC is upholding Texas’ reputation as the best state to live and work by ensuring job seekers and businesses alike have the support and resources they need to find success in our robust Texas economy,” TWC Commissioner Brent Connett said, adding that TWC is “connecting job seekers with employers and providing job training for Texans.”
TWC Commissioner Alberto Treviño III explained that a range of training programs, apprenticeships, and available childcare are also helping “Texans to prosper in our economy.”
Texas’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4%, higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.3%, according to the data.
Notably different in September was that only six multiple metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates under 4%. Amarillo and Midland reported the lowest of 3.3%, followed by San Angelo’s 3.4%.
Nearly all reported higher unemployment rates than the national rate.
Eagle Pass reported the highest of 8.9%, followed by Brownsville-Harlingen’s 7.3%, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s 6.5%, Beaumont-Port Arthur’s 5.6% and Killeen-Temple’s 5%. Longview, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, and El Paso all reported 4.8%; Corpus Christi and Laredo reported 4.7%.
To help get more people in the workforce, Abbott recently announced more than $14 million in Jobs and Education for Texans training grants to 16 public junior, technical, and state colleges and 36 independent school districts. The funds support their career and technical education programs to purchase new equipment and initially train more than 6,500 students, enabling them to earn licenses, certificates, or college degrees.
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Abbott also announced another $1 million in grants to help six ISDs purchase, repair, or replace equipment for career and technical education programs that train students to obtain jobs in high-skill industries.
The grants enable students to gain hands-on work experience while earning a degree or certificate. The programs give students “a significant advantage in the job market, which can open pathways to higher salaries and faster career progression in high-demand occupations such as nurses, welders, and automotive technicians,” Esparza said.
