October 2026
Dallas-Fort Worth added 43,100 jobs over the past year through August 2026, a 1.0% growth rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summary published October 5, 2026. More than half of those jobs, 24,700, came from Professional and Business Services.
Last month I asked if 1.3% growth would make it three months in a row. The answer is no. Growth slowed to 1.0% in August. That’s still growth, just at a calmer pace than we saw this summer.
Is Dallas-Fort Worth job growth slowing again?
Quick refresher: every month, the BLS compares jobs to the same month a year ago. That smooths out seasonal swings, so you can see which way the market is really heading.
| 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% |
| September 2026 | Jul 2026 YoY | 54,000 | 1.3% |
| October 2026 | Aug 2026 YoY | 43,100 | 1.0% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summary, published October 5, 2026.
August lands below the summer high, but well above last winter and spring, when growth was stuck between 0.3% and 0.6%. And the BLS summary shows Dallas-Fort Worth still growing faster than the country as a whole.
Which Dallas-Fort Worth sectors are hiring?
Seven of the ten major sectors added jobs over the year. Here are the leaders:
- Professional and Business Services: up 24,700 jobs (3.1%)
- Leisure and Hospitality: up 9,100 jobs (2.1%)
- Mining, Logging, and Construction: up 8,100 jobs (3.0%)
Professional and Business Services is the one I watch most closely. It’s where most office jobs live, including accounting and finance, administrative, customer service, and executive roles. Here’s the interesting part: while the metro slowed down, this sector sped up, going from 23,500 new jobs in July to 24,700 in August.
The surprise this month was Education and Health Services. It added 10,500 jobs in July, but only 2,700 in August.
Where Dallas-Fort Worth lost ground
Three sectors shrank over the year:
- Financial Activities: down 2,900 jobs (0.7%)
- Information: down 1,800 jobs (2.1%)
- Manufacturing: down 1,500 jobs (0.5%)
Financial Activities includes banks, insurance companies, and real estate firms. It’s down for the second month in a row, though less than July’s 4,100-job loss.
Fort Worth keeps outpacing Dallas
Our metro has two halves, and right now Fort Worth is the faster one:
- Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine: up 17,800 jobs (1.5%)
- Dallas-Plano-Irving: up 25,300 jobs (0.8%)
Dallas added more jobs because it’s bigger, but Fort Worth is growing nearly twice as fast. Its office sector grew 5.0%, while its finance sector shrank 2.0%, compared with just 0.4% on the Dallas side.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Area Data Tables.
What is the unemployment rate in Dallas-Fort Worth?
The Dallas-Fort Worth unemployment rate was 4.4% in August 2026. That’s up a little from 4.3% a year ago, but down from 4.6% in July. Nationally, the rate improved to 4.3% from 4.5%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dallas-Fort Worth Area Economic Summary, published October 5, 2026.
Here’s how our four biggest counties compare:
- Denton County: 4.2%, the tightest market
- Collin County: 4.4%, up from 4.2%, the biggest jump
- Tarrant County: 4.4%
- Dallas County: 4.5%, the most candidates available
In plain terms, a lower rate means fewer people are looking for work, so roles take longer to fill. A higher rate means a bigger pool to choose from. These numbers aren’t seasonally adjusted, so last August is the fairest comparison.
What does this mean for Dallas businesses hiring right now?
- Good office help is still in demand. More than half of this year’s new jobs were office jobs. If you’re hiring for accounting, admin, or customer service, so is everyone else, so set your timeline before you start interviewing.
- Finance candidates are out there. Banks and insurers have trimmed jobs two months running, and the drop is steepest on the Fort Worth side.
- Fort Worth is moving fast. Expect more competition for hires on that side of the metro.
Ready to fill your accounting and administrative roles before year-end?
Dallas-Fort Worth job growth cooled to 1.0% in August 2026, but office hiring is still picking up speed, and that’s where employers are competing hardest for talent.
Have an accounting, administrative, or call center role to fill? Send it our way and we’ll start sourcing this week.
Is your hiring slowing down with the market, or are your office roles harder to fill than they were this summer?
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.
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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 October 5, 2026, and the BLS Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Area Data Tables.