Waco, TX -Governor Greg Abbott praised the strength of the Texas economy following the release of October employment data, which showed that Texas once again outpaced the U.S. in job growth. Over the past 12 months, Texas employers added 274,600 nonfarm jobs, setting new records for the number of Texans working and the overall size of the Texas labor force.
“Texas grows jobs at a faster annual rate than the U.S. because Texas moves at the speed of business,” said Governor Abbott. “Meeting the changing needs of Texas entrepreneurs and businesses is paramount to ensure ongoing job growth across industries. That is why the state of Texas invests in workforce development and career training to prepare our young and growing labor force for high-demand, good-paying jobs.”
According to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the October data highlights include:
- Texas reached a new record with a labor force of 15,497,100, the largest in state history.
- The number of Texans working, including self-employed individuals, also reached a new high at 14,858,700.
- Texas added 274,600 nonfarm jobs from October 2023 to October 2024, surpassing the national annual growth rate.
- The Financial Activities industry saw the largest increase with 6,200 jobs added, outperforming the national annual growth rate by 2.8 percentage points.
- The Leisure and Hospitality sector added 4,900 jobs, while Information and Manufacturing each gained 1,900 jobs.
Since taking office, Governor Abbott has overseen the addition of more than 2.4 million jobs in Texas, reinforcing the state’s economic vitality.
