Abbott: Texas leads nation in job growth, sets 3 new record highs

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Friday, Dec. 22, 2023.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — November employment data showed Texas continued to lead the nation in annual job growth, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

A statement from the governor’s office said Texas added more jobs over the last 12 months than any other state, as well as set three new record highs for:

• total jobs at 14,094,900
• the number of Texans working at 14,576,500
• the largest labor force in the state’s history at 15,192,900

“I am proud that more Texans are working than ever before, thanks to employers who continue to invest and grow jobs here. Texas serves as a beacon of opportunity, proving that when given the freedom to aspire and the foundation to succeed, businesses flourish and people prosper,” said Abbott. “As we look to the new year, we will continue to work together and safeguard the promise of an even bigger, brighter Texas for generations to come.”

According to the governor’s office, Texas has experienced 33 months of uninterrupted job growth through November.

According to employment data from the Texas Workforce Commission and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas added 407,100 jobs from November 2022 to November 2023 and grew at an annual rate of 3%, above the growth rate for the nation as a whole of 1.8%.