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Metro Houston hiring bounced back in March, with employers adding 16,400 jobs after a slower-than-usual February, according to data released today by the Texas Workforce Commission. It was the region’s strongest March showing since ’21, when the economy was rapidly recovering jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was well above the 9,700 positions added on average in March during the past decade.

Fourteen of the 21 sectors tracked by the Partnership added jobs during the month, with no change or minor losses of less than 500 jobs in the other seven. Restaurants and bars led all sectors as employers staffed up for spring events and the busier summer dining season. Administrative services followed, with gains concentrated in employment services, such as temporary staffing and recruiting and services to buildings and dwellings, such as janitorial, landscaping, and maintenance. Manufacturing came in third, posting its strongest monthly gain since August ’24 as durable and nondurable goods producers added more than 1,000 jobs each.

On a year-over-year basis, growth remains modest but positive, with metro Houston adding 18,900 jobs between March ’25 and March ’26. That represents a 0.5 percent job growth rate, which significantly outpaced the national rate of 0.1 percent. Total non-farm payroll employment now stands at 3,487,400.

Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research Division.

Colin Baker
Manager of Economic Research
Greater Houston Partnership
[email protected]