Texas has reported the largest 12-month jobs gain in the United States, according to September employment data. The state set new records for the number of Texans employed, the size of its labor force, and total nonfarm jobs.
Governor Greg Abbott commented on these achievements: “Texas is where free enterprise flourishes and jobs grow. 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.”
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Texas Workforce Commission show that Texas reached a record high labor force of 15,879,000 people. The number of Texans working—including those self-employed—also hit a new peak at 15,222,900. Nonfarm jobs increased to 14,343,800 after an addition of 4,600 positions over the month.
From September 2024 to September 2025, Texas gained 168,000 jobs. This growth rate surpassed that of other states and was higher than the national annual job growth rate by 0.4 percentage points. The unemployment rate in Texas remained steady at 4.1%, below the national average of 4.4%.
Governor Abbott also recently announced over $14 million in Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) training grants for higher education institutions and independent school districts across Texas to support career and technical education programs. An additional $1 million in dual credit grants was awarded to train more students for high-demand occupations after graduation.
