Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast was recently featured in the Houston Chronicle’s coverage of Houston’s labor market, providing regional employment data and economic analysis that puts recent layoffs into a broader perspective. The article cited Texas Workforce Commission data alongside insights from Workforce Solutions to show that, even as nearly 20 companies reported layoffs affecting 2,697 workers during the first half of 2026, the Houston region continued to add jobs.
While nearly 20 companies reported layoffs affecting 2,697 workers during the first six months of the year, Houston’s broader labor market continued to add jobs.
Workforce Solutions reported that the region added approximately 24,000 jobs during the first half of 2026, including 14,400 jobs in June. June marked the second consecutive month of above-average hiring.
Hiring Continues Across Multiple Industries
June’s job growth was spread across several sectors. Professional and Business Services added 7,800 jobs, Leisure and Hospitality added 6,600, and Trade, Transportation and Utilities added 3,400. Construction, Manufacturing and Other Services also recorded gains.
Over the past year, Houston added 39,700 jobs, with seven of the region’s 11 major industry sectors reporting employment growth.
Workforce Solutions economist and principal data analyst Mohammad Ahmadizadeh, whose analysis was cited in the Houston Chronicle article, noted that Houston’s job growth has remained notable even as the national labor market has cooled.
The data provides a broader view of Houston’s employment landscape: layoffs at individual companies can occur at the same time that other employers across the region continue hiring and adding jobs.
For the latest information on Houston employment trends, including job growth by industry and unemployment data, visit the Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast regional economic data page.
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