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Top 10 Cities in Texas for Job Seekers in 2026

Are you on the hunt for a job in Texas? You’re in the right place! While Austin is often considered a job hotspot, the latest data reveals that it may not be the absolute best location to find employment in the state.

At Zippia, we analyze trends and statistics to provide insights into the best job markets. After evaluating over 67 cities in Texas, we have compiled a list of the top ten cities for job seekers in the Lone Star State for 2026.

Here are the best cities to find employment opportunities in Texas:

So, to our friends in Brownsville, let’s explore how we arrived at this ranking and what you can learn from these thriving cities.

How We Evaluated the Best Job Markets in Texas

To compile this list, we conducted thorough research on various cities across Texas. We established a minimum population threshold of 5,000 to ensure a fair comparison among cities.

This analysis encompassed 67 cities, which we ranked based on several key criteria:

Unemployment rate
Recent job growth
Projected future job growth
Median household income

Our evaluation involved ranking each city across these criteria from one to 67, with one representing the best performance. The city with the lowest overall score was designated as the “Best Place for Jobs in Texas.”

For data sources, we utilized information from reputable organizations such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Sperling’s Best Places.

If your city didn’t make it into the top ten, scroll down to see a detailed chart and a downloadable file of all the data.

Now, let’s delve into how these cities climbed the rankings for job opportunities.

1. Midland

Population: 112,618
Unemployment Rate: 2.30%
Recent Job Growth: 3.79%
Future Job Growth: 45.30%

2. Bryan

Population: 76,082
Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 4.84%
Future Job Growth: 46.30%

3. Victoria

Population: 62,869
Unemployment Rate: 3.60%
Recent Job Growth: 3.69%
Future Job Growth: 43.80%

4. Rockwall

Population: 37,842
Unemployment Rate: 3.50%
Recent Job Growth: 3.43%
Future Job Growth: 43.40%

5. Denton

Population: 115,098
Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Recent Job Growth: 3.43%
Future Job Growth: 43.10%

6. Odessa

Population: 101,545
Unemployment Rate: 2.80%
Recent Job Growth: 3.09%
Future Job Growth: 43.40%

7. Frisco

Population: 116,944
Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Recent Job Growth: 3.43%
Future Job Growth: 43.10%

8. Wylie

Population: 40,793
Unemployment Rate: 4.10%
Recent Job Growth: 3.43%
Future Job Growth: 42.80%

9. Lewisville

Population: 95,989
Unemployment Rate: 4.10%
Recent Job Growth: 3.43%
Future Job Growth: 42.80%

10. Waxahachie

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 29,760
Unemployment Rate: 4.20%
Recent Job Growth: 3.44%
Future Job Growth: 42.70%

Comprehensive Ranking of Texas Cities for Employment

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Midland	1	112,618	2.30%	3.79%	45.30%
Bryan	2	76,082	3.40%	4.84%	46.30%
Victoria	3	62,869	3.60%	3.69%	43.80%
Rockwall	4	37,842	3.50%	3.43%	43.40%
Denton	5	115,098	3.80%	3.43%	43.10%
Odessa	6	101,545	2.80%	3.09%	43.40%
Frisco	7	116,944	3.80%	3.43%	43.10%
Wylie	8	40,793	4.10%	3.43%	42.80%
Lewisville	9	95,989	4.10%	3.43%	42.80%
Waxahachie	10	29,760	4.20%	3.44%	42.70%
Richardson	11	100,057	4.10%	3.43%	42.80%
Allen	12	84,387	4.20%	3.43%	42.70%
Irving	13	217,021	4.30%	3.43%	42.60%
Plano	14	263,122	4.30%	3.43%	42.60%
Coppell	15	39,212	4.50%	3.44%	42.40%
McKinney	16	131,882	4.40%	3.43%	42.50%
Pearland	17	90,347	3.50%	2.96%	42.40%
Burleson	18	36,879	3.70%	2.97%	42.20%
Keller	19	39,763	3.80%	2.97%	42.10%
Carrollton	20	120,727	4.50%	3.43%	42.40%
Pflugerville	21	47,602	3.30%	2.82%	42.30%
Conroe	22	57,380	3.60%	2.95%	42.30%
Mansfield	23	55,818	4.00%	2.97%	41.90%
Austin	24	799,939	3.50%	2.82%	42.10%
Friendswood	25	35,853	4.00%	2.95%	41.90%
Grapevine	26	46,756	4.20%	2.97%	41.70%
Rowlett	27	55,970	4.90%	3.43%	42.00%
Hurst	28	37,572	4.20%	2.97%	41.70%
Rosenberg	29	30,665	4.10%	2.95%	41.80%
Dallas	30	1,207,202	5.10%	3.43%	41.80%
Bedford	31	47,385	4.20%	2.97%	41.70%
Garland	32	227,641	5.10%	3.43%	41.80%
Georgetown	33	48,220	4.10%	2.82%	41.50%
Cleburne	34	29,318	4.60%	2.98%	41.40%
Duncanville	35	38,590	5.30%	3.43%	41.60%
Lubbock	36	229,428	3.40%	2.29%	41.20%
Euless	37	51,526	4.50%	2.97%	41.40%
Schertz	38	31,934	3.40%	2.21%	41.00%
Arlington	39	367,154	4.50%	2.97%	41.40%
Sherman	40	38,499	4.90%	3.05%	41.20%
Houston	41	2,107,449	4.70%	2.96%	41.20%
DeSoto	42	49,011	6.00%	3.43%	40.90%
Lancaster	43	36,271	6.80%	3.43%	40.10%
Galveston	44	48,352	5.20%	2.96%	40.70%
Lufkin	45	35,169	4.50%	1.90%	39.30%
Longview	46	80,931	4.40%	1.68%	39.00%
Temple	47	66,435	4.30%	1.62%	38.90%
Pasadena	48	149,506	5.30%	2.96%	40.60%
Abilene	49	118,484	3.70%	0.41%	37.10%
Nacogdoches	50	33,157	4.60%	1.62%	38.60%
Amarillo	51	191,118	3.20%	-0.34%	36.10%
Baytown	52	71,790	6.40%	2.96%	39.50%
Tyler	53	97,125	4.70%	1.60%	38.50%
Laredo	54	236,063	4.90%	1.33%	37.80%
Huntsville	55	38,682	4.50%	0.75%	37.00%
McAllen	56	130,297	5.40%	1.56%	37.70%
Edinburg	57	77,174	5.50%	1.56%	37.60%
Killeen	58	127,995	6.00%	1.62%	37.20%
Waco	59	124,843	4.70%	0.76%	36.80%
Mission	60	76,784	6.80%	1.55%	36.30%
Pharr	61	70,119	6.90%	1.55%	36.20%
Harlingen	62	64,947	6.30%	0.92%	35.50%
Socorro	63	31,912	7.50%	1.17%	34.80%
Texarkana	64	36,548	5.50%	0.15%	34.80%
Beaumont	65	117,769	6.80%	0.79%	34.80%
Weslaco	66	35,720	8.60%	1.56%	34.50%
Brownsville	67	175,210	8.60%	0.92%	33.20%

In conclusion, Texas is home to numerous cities with promising job markets. Whether you’re looking for immediate opportunities or planning for your career’s future, consider these top ten cities for your job search. Stay informed and adaptable to succeed in the ever-evolving job landscape!

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.