Texas added 165,600 nonfarm jobs during the 12 months ending in July, more than any other state and nearly 53,000 more than second-place California, federal labor data released Friday show.
Employers expanded Texas’ nonfarm payroll total to 14,468,000. The state recorded 1.2% annual growth, a full percentage point above the national pace.
California added 112,700 jobs during the same period, while North Carolina added 51,600. Minnesota posted the largest percentage increase at 1.4%, but Texas led the country in the number of jobs added.
Texas employers added 1,600 jobs in July, the Texas Workforce Commission reported. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.4% in June to 4.5% in July. That exceeded the national rate of 4.1% and marked an increase from Texas’ 4.2% rate in July 2025.
The number of working Texans, including people who are self-employed, reached 15,207,200. Texas’ civilian labor force totaled 15,915,600 after adding 10,800 people in July and 17,800 over the past year.
Professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and construction posted the state’s fastest annual growth rates. Government employment declined during the period.
The latest figures update June results that The Dallas Express previously reported, when state officials initially estimated a 43,400-job monthly gain and 177,900 jobs added over the year.
The July figures remain preliminary. BLS will publish preliminary benchmark revisions on August 28 using state unemployment insurance records that nearly all employers must file.
“The hard work of Texans powers America’s most dynamic economy,” Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) said in a news release.
Abbott credited Texas’ workforce and business climate with attracting employers. His office announced that the state has added more than 2.6 million jobs during his tenure and now hosts 57 Fortune 500 headquarters and more than 3.5 million small businesses.
Provided by Dallas Express
