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Metro Houston created 14,800 jobs in ‘25, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). That represents a 0.4 percent job growth rate, which falls below the 1.5 percent average for the previous decade. Even so, Houston outperformed the rest of the nation—as it has every year since ‘17—with the U.S. pace of job growth slowing to 0.3 percent in ’25 as greater business uncertainty led to a low-hire, low-fire environment. The Partnership forecasts that ’26 will represent a partial rebound, with more than twice as many new jobs (30,900) expected in the year ahead.
Fourteen of the 21 major sectors tracked by TWC added jobs in ’25. The biggest gains came in health care, restaurants and bars, and public education, followed by solid growth in transportation and warehousing, private education services, and construction. These industries, which largely serve the needs of local residents, continued to benefit from a growing population and steady consumer demand. Six sectors lost jobs, with declines concentrated in office-heavy industries, especially professional, scientific, and technical services and administrative support. Because these sectors largely serve other businesses, the pullback likely reflects softer client demand and tighter discretionary spending.
Looking at December alone, the region added 700 jobs over the month, less than the 3,500 jobs added on average during the past 10 Decembers. Retail surged by 6,300 jobs as local stores brought on temporary staff for a strong holiday shopping season. But those gains were mostly offset by pullbacks in construction (-3,500) and professional services (-2,600).
Total non-farm payroll employment for the region now stands at 3,494,000.
Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research Division.
Colin Baker
Manager of Economic Research
Greater Houston Partnership
[email protected]