In my last update, I told you the full December sector breakdown had not been published yet and that I would circle back when it was. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summary on February 13, 2026, covering December 2025 data. We now have all the 2025 data and it confirms what I have been tracking all year.
Dallas-Fort Worth added 14,200 jobs year-over-year through December 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At 0.3%, this is the slowest growth rate Dallas-Fort Worth has recorded since the post-COVID recovery began in 2021.
The Full-Year Picture
| Month Published | Data Period | YoY Jobs Added | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | Jan 2025 YoY | 56,100 | 1.3% |
| May 2025 | Mar 2025 YoY | 46,800 | 1.1% |
| August 2025 | Jun 2025 YoY | 43,600 | 1.0% |
| September 2025 | Jul 2025 YoY | 43,300 | 1.0% |
| February 2026 | Nov 2025 YoY | 18,500 | 0.4% |
| April 2026 | Dec 2025 YoY | 14,200 | 0.3% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summaries, various release dates.
From 56,100 jobs added in January 2025 to 14,200 by December. That is a full-year trend that held every single month without reversal. The national unemployment rate stood at 4.1% through December 2025, compared to 3.6% for Dallas-Fort Worth, per the BLS. The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area continues to outperform the national average on both employment growth and unemployment.
Where the Jobs Are, and Where They Aren’t, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro
Education and Health Services added 16,500 jobs year-over-year through December 2025 in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, a 3.2% gain. That sector has carried this market all year. The government added 9,200 positions (up 1.9%), Mining, Logging, and Construction grew by 4,900 (up 1.9%), and Other Services added 3,200 jobs (up 2.3%).
The number that demands attention is Professional and Business Services. That sector lost 21,700 positions year-over-year through December 2025 in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, a 2.8% decline. This is the third consecutive data period with a significant contraction in this sector. Financial Activities shed 3,200 jobs (down 0.8%). Manufacturing dropped 4,300 (down 1.4%).
| Sector | Jobs Change (YoY) | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Education & Health Services | +16,500 | +3.2% |
| Other Services | +3,200 | +2.3% |
| Information | +2,000 | +2.2% |
| Government | +9,200 | +1.9% |
| Mining, Logging & Construction | +4,900 | +1.9% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | +4,100 | +1.0% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | +3,500 | +0.4% |
| Financial Activities | -3,200 | -0.8% |
| Manufacturing | -4,300 | -1.4% |
| Professional & Business Services | -21,700 | -2.8% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, December 2025.
What Does the Dallas-Fort Worth Unemployment Rate Look Like Right Now?
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area unemployment rate was 3.6% in December 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is a meaningful pullback from 4.0% in November and only a tick above December 2024’s 3.5%. The mid-year spike corrected by year-end. The national unemployment rate was 4.1% through December 2025, per the BLS. Dallas-Fort Worth is holding well below that.
County-level unemployment rates for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, December 2025:
| County | Dec 2024 | Dec 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Denton Co. | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Collin Co. | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Tarrant Co. | 3.5% | 3.6% |
| Dallas Co. | 3.7% | 3.8% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, December 2025.
MSA division rates for the most recent comparable period (September 2025, not seasonally adjusted):
| Division | Sep 2024 | Sep 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Plano-Irving | 3.9% | 4.2% |
| Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine | 3.9% | 4.1% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Southwest Region Table.
Denton County remains the tightest labor market in the metro. Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine continues to run slightly tighter than the Dallas-Plano-Irving division, 4.1% versus 4.2% in September 2025. If you have flexibility on where you source candidates, the Fort Worth-Arlington corridor offers marginally less competition for the same profiles.
How Dallas-Area Employers Can Act on This Data
Here is what I would do with this if I were sitting across the table from a hiring manager right now.
- If you have accounting, finance, or administrative roles open: Professional and Business Services has shed 21,700 positions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the past year. That means credentialed accounting and finance professionals and experienced administrative candidates are available in this market in ways they were not 18 months ago. Direct hire, temp-to-hire, or contract, this is the window.
- If you run a call center or customer service operation: The same Professional Services contraction that freed up white-collar talent also released a wave of experienced customer service and call center professionals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Attrition that was nearly impossible to backfill in 2023 is now a solvable problem.
- If you have been putting off a leadership hire: Slower growth does not mean great people are sitting still. The executive search window in this market is real, but it is not permanent. Unemployment pulled back to 3.6% by December. Experienced leaders are being thoughtful about their next move, but they are moving.
- If your process is the bottleneck: This is the market note I give every client right now. Even with a softer market, the candidates you want are still getting competing offers. In 25 years, I have seen more good hires walk away from slow-moving processes than from salary gaps. If you are ready to hire, move like it.
With over 25 years in the Dallas market, we have seen nearly all types of employment markets. The current reset is one of the better hiring windows for employers that I have tracked in recent years. We are ready to help you take advantage of it.
Are the shifts in Professional Services and Financial Activities changing how you think about hiring or team structure this year?
Amy Linn
PrideStaff Dallas Strategic Partner
alinn@pridestaff.com
(972) 661.1616