Texas employers added 154,300 nonfarm jobs over the past 12 months, giving the state a 1.1% annual growth rate that outpaced the national rate by 0.8 percentage points, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday.
The September figures show continued year-over-year growth, although the annual gain eased from the 159,400 jobs reported for August. Dallas-Fort Worth, meanwhile, posted a 1.0% annual increase in nonfarm employment in the latest available regional data.
Texas Adds 154,300 Jobs Over 12 Months
Texas had 14,461,300 nonfarm jobs in September, according to the governor’s office, citing Texas Workforce Commission data. The number of Texans working, including self-employed workers, reached 15,246,400, while the state’s civilian labor force totaled 15,948,400 after increasing by 15,800 people during the month.
Manufacturing recorded the largest monthly increase, adding 4,700 jobs.
Government services posted the largest decline.
Private-sector employers added 160,400 jobs over the previous 12 months.
“Texas is where opportunity knows no bounds,” Abbott said in the October 16 release. “With the best business climate and strongest workforce in America, Texas grows jobs faster than the nation as a whole and wages have risen to an all-time high. Texas truly is the best place to live, work, build a business, and raise a family.”
The governor’s office said average weekly wages in Texas reached a record high during the first quarter of 2026, based on the most recent available labor-market information.
Annual Gain Eases From August
The latest report follows an August employment update in which Texas had added 159,400 jobs over the preceding 12 months, as reported by The Dallas Express. That means the 12-month net gain reported for September was 5,100 jobs lower than the annual gain reported one month earlier, while the annual growth rate remained 1.1%.
Texas also recorded a seasonally adjusted decline of 11,100 nonfarm jobs from August to September, according to Texas Workforce Commission data. The monthly decrease came alongside the state’s 154,300-job year-over-year gain.
Dallas-Fort Worth Posts 1.0% Annual Job Growth
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had about 4.36 million nonfarm jobs in August, up 1.0% from a year earlier, according to the latest regional data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The area’s unemployment rate was 4.4%, down from 4.6% in July.
Mining, logging, and construction employment increased 3.0% over the year in DFW, while manufacturing employment declined 0.5%. The federal regional figures currently cover August, so they are not directly comparable with Texas’ September statewide report.
Texas Expands Workforce Training Pipeline
The new employment figures arrive days after Abbott announced more than $20 million in Jobs and Education for Texans career-training grants. The Texas Workforce Commission awarded 84 grants expected to support training for more than 7,400 students in the first year, according to the governor’s announcement.
North Texas recipients include Collin College, which received $346,697 for welding equipment, and Tarrant County College District, which received $55,673 to support welder training, according to previous coverage by The Dallas Express. Blue Ridge Independent School District and Harmony Public Schools North Texas also received awards.
The workforce push also includes private-sector efforts. The GE Aerospace Foundation announced October 14 that it plans to provide $1 million to four Dallas-Fort Worth organizations in 2027 for aviation maintenance, manufacturing, and technical training. More than 1,100 people are expected to benefit in the first year, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Provided by Dallas Express
