Gov. Greg Abbott is characterizing Texas as “America’s Jobs Engine” after new data shows that the state is leading the nation with over 320,000 jobs created in the past year.
According to a United States Bureau of Labor Statistics report, Texas added 327,400 nonfarm jobs from September 2023 to September 2024. The next closest states were California and Florida, which added 265,300 and 204,700, respectively.
The Texas Workforce Commission further noted that Texas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased to 14,289,900 after 29,200 jobs were added over the month. In addition, the annual nonfarm growth rate is 2.3 percent, which outpaces the national growth rate by 0.7 percentage points.
“Texas continues to dominate as America’s jobs engine,” stated Abbott. “America’s leading businesses are fleeing the stranglehold of over-regulation in other states for the competitive business advantages found only in Texas.”
Abbott also pointed to the state being ranked as having the Best Business Climate in the nation for the second year in a row by Business Facilities in its 20th Annual Rankings Report.
The report stressed Texas’ healthy business climate, economic development opportunities, and diverse regional differences. North Texas, the magazine stated, “is a magnet for corporate headquarters.”
“As a result, more Texans are working than ever before in our state’s history, expanding economic opportunity for more Texas families,” continued Abbott. “Working together, we will build a bigger, better Texas for all.”
An overview of Texas Economic Development & Tourism’s current projects shows that the state continues to push for more economic development.
Among some of the recent announcements are Elon Musk’s $8 million expansion of his Starlink satellite company in Central Texas, a new $69 million warehouse and distribution operation by Continental Tire in Fort Worth, and Hiland Dairy Foods’ $100 million expansion of a manufacturing plant in Tyler.
Musk’s expansion is set to add 700,000 square feet to Starlink’s existing 521,521-square-foot factory in Bastrop County. The September filing revealing the plan comes just months after he announced a $7 million investment to accompany X’s move to Bastrop from California.
Meanwhile, Continental Tire’s 753,000-square-foot warehouse is set to begin construction this month. When it opens in 2026, the company said it will be able to store over 800,000 tires.
Employees are expected to double at Hiland Dairy Foods in Tyler as it prepares for a massive expansion from 74 to 154 staff members, a spokesman told Just Food.
As businesses move to Texas, the housing market struggles to keep up in certain areas of the state. Lawmakers are expected to address the housing crisis in the next legislative session. Comptroller Glenn Hegar has identified regulatory obstacles to building new houses that lawmakers may consider removing.
