The Texas Workforce Commission reported Sept. 18 that Texas added 159,400 nonfarm jobs between August 2025 and August 2026, lifting total employment in the state to 14,469,300 positions and holding the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 4.4 percent.
The state grew its workforce at an annual rate of 1.1 percent, outpacing the national rate by 0.7 percentage points, according to the commission’s news release. Gov. Greg Abbott said in a release issued the same day that the figures placed Texas first among all states for jobs added over the previous 12 months.
Texas added 5,600 nonfarm jobs in August alone, the commission said. The state’s civilian labor force reached 15,932,600 after adding 17,100 people over the month and 10,900 over the year.
“The addition of more than 159,000 jobs over the year reinforces Texas’ status as a premier destination for employers and a source of ample opportunity for Texas workers,” said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza in the release. He said gains across service-based and goods-producing industries show the state balancing growth across the entire economic spectrum.
Leisure and hospitality recorded the largest private-sector monthly gain in August at 4,900 jobs, followed by professional and business services at 4,500 and manufacturing at 2,200, according to the commission. Among metropolitan areas, Midland posted the lowest unemployment rate at a not seasonally adjusted 3.3 percent, followed by San Angelo at 3.6 percent and Abilene and Amarillo, each at 3.7 percent.
TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III said the agency’s adult education and literacy programs are “empowering workers with the foundational skills and credentials necessary to transition into high-demand, high-growth roles.” Commissioner Representing the Public Brent Connett tied the numbers to career and technical education, saying the state is “equipping the next generation of Texans with the specialized, hands-on skills needed to fill critical roles.”
Abbott credited the state’s business climate, saying in his release that “a skilled workforce and the best business climate in America give job creators the confidence to invest in Texas.” Texas Comptroller Don Huffines also welcomed the report in a Sept. 18 statement, saying Texas is “powering forward with a vibrant, fast-moving economy” and linking continued growth to his push for property tax relief.
The commission said its estimates are produced with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and remain subject to revision. September labor market data is scheduled for release Oct. 16.