August 2026
Dallas-Fort Worth added 54,600 jobs over the year through June 2026, a 1.3% gain, and Professional and Business Services accounted for more than 40% of that growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is more than double the 24,700 reported through May, and the highest reading in the releases I have tracked since early 2025. Nationally, total nonfarm employment grew 0.3%, and the BLS chart shows Dallas-Fort Worth above the national line all year.
Welcome to August, how is it already August?!? After a year of readings under 1%, June changes the conversation for anyone hiring accounting, finance, or administrative staff.
How is Dallas-Fort Worth hiring trending in 2026?
The running picture across the releases I track puts June outside the recent range.
| 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% |
| May 2026 | Jan 2026 YoY | 41,900 | 1.0% |
| May 2026 | Feb 2026 YoY | 24,200 | 0.6% |
| June 2026 | Apr 2026 YoY | 21,900 | 0.5% |
| July 2026 | May 2026 YoY | 24,700 | 0.6% |
| August 2026 | Jun 2026 YoY | 54,600 | 1.3% |
One month can be revised, so I will watch September closely. Even so, June is a clear step up from anything this year.
Which Dallas-Fort Worth sectors are hiring?
Seven of the ten major sectors added jobs over the year through June 2026.
The growth leaders:
- Professional and Business Services added 22,700 jobs, up 2.9%.
- Leisure and Hospitality added 10,000 jobs, up 2.3%.
- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 9,900 jobs, up 1.1%.
- Education and Health Services added 7,400 jobs, up 1.4%.
Professional and Business Services matters most to the employers I serve. It houses accounting and finance, administrative, customer service, and executive roles, and it led the metro again at double its May pace.
Two sectors lost ground. Manufacturing gave up 2,500 jobs, down 0.8%, and Information posted the steepest percentage decline at 2.6%. Financial Activities ended the year exactly where it started.
What is the unemployment rate in Dallas-Fort Worth?
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro unemployment rate was a preliminary 4.7% in June 2026, up from 4.0% in May and 4.0% in June 2025. It now sits above the national rate of 4.4%.
County rates for June 2026:
- Denton County: 4.4%, the tightest market.
- Collin County: 4.6%
- Tarrant County: 4.7%
- Dallas County: 4.8%, the loosest.
Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine came in at 4.6%, Dallas-Plano-Irving at 4.7%.
Two caveats. These figures are not seasonally adjusted, and the metro rate climbs most Junes. Austin, Houston, and San Antonio posted year-over-year increases of a similar size, so this is a Texas pattern more than a Dallas one. What holds up is the comparison to last June, more people across this metro are looking for work.
What does this mean for Dallas businesses hiring right now?
Three things to act on:
- The candidate pool is wider than a year ago. At 4.7%, more people across the metro are searching than in any reading I have tracked this past year. If your accounting or admin openings drew thin applicant flow this spring, reopen them now.
- Demand for white-collar talent is climbing. Professional and Business Services added 22,700 jobs, so the candidates you want are fielding other conversations. Set your decision timeline before you start interviewing.
- Wage costs are climbing more slowly here. Across the Dallas-Fort Worth combined statistical area, wages and salaries for private employers rose 2.5% for the year ending June 2026 against 3.1% nationally. Pay levels here still run above the national average, so your advantage is the pace of increases rather than the starting point.
Ready to fill your accounting and administrative roles while the pool is open?
Job growth jumped to 1.3% through June, unemployment rose to 4.7%, and wage costs climbed more slowly here than nationally. Those three rarely line up in the same month.
Send us the accounting, finance, or administrative role you need filled and we will start sourcing this week.
With over 25 years in the Dallas market, we have seen nearly all types of employment markets. We are ready to help you with your staffing solutions.
Amy Linn, PrideStaff Dallas Strategic Partner
alinn@pridestaff.com
(972) 661.1616
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summary, published August 3, 2026, and the Employment Cost Index for the Dallas metropolitan area, published August 3, 2026.