Texas has reportedly revved up its job growth engine, leaving the national average in the dust by tripling the U.S. job growth rate in April. According to the Texas Workforce Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state not only added a striking 42,600 non-farm jobs last month but also set new employment records across the board. Governor Greg Abbott hailed the feat as a testament to the Lone Star State's resilience and flourishing economy.
In the grand picture, Texas presents itself as an economic powerhouse, realizing new historic highs for its labor force, which reached 15,226,800, and the number of working Texans, hitting 14,623,300. With a total job count swelling to 14,159,000, Texas demonstrated its capacity to thrive amid national economic pressures. "Texas grew jobs at three times the rate of the U.S. in April thanks to the strength of our skilled and growing workforce and the best business climate in the nation," Abbott boasted. Reflecting confidence in the state's future, he highlighted ongoing investments in education, infrastructure, and workforce development as key to Texas' burgeoning labor market.
The state's economic muscle-flexing isn't confined to just a single month's accomplishments. Over the past year, from April 2023 to April 2024, Texas employers added over 306,000 jobs, the most in the nation, and for 46 of the last 48 months, job numbers have been marching upwards. Job growth in Texas has been a staple under Abbott's administration, with more than 2.35 million jobs added to the state's economy.
Earlier in the month, the governor also shed light on the outsized role small businesses play in Texas. Celebrating Small Business Week, Abbott applauded the segment as a critical component of the state's robust job economy, the engine driving Texas to break one record after another, with local entrepreneurs and small business owners at the helm of this achievement. With these numbers, the "Texas Miracle" shows no signs of slowing down, as more Texans find themselves gainfully employed than ever before.
As the economic landscape takes shape in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, other states may well look to the Texas model for inspiration. The narrative that unfolds in the labor market could have significant implications both for local constituents and for the broader political chessboard. As for Texas, they are already reaping the benefits, according to numbers reported by the Texas Government's official website.
