Where Fort Worth's Jobs Are Still Growing as the Dallas Fed Trims Its Texas Forecast

FORT WORTH, TX — The Dallas Fed cut its Texas job forecast this week, but the Fort Worth job market is still adding work in the places that matter most to people hunting for their next paycheck. The latest federal numbers show the Fort Worth-Arlington area holding more jobs than it did a year ago, with construction, office work and hospitality doing most of the lifting.

Fort Worth-Arlington payrolls are up 1.2% over the year even as the statewide forecast slips to 0.9%. Here's where the hiring is, where it isn't, and how to aim your search.

Ready to search? Jump straight to the job links for the growing sectors →

The Statewide Forecast Just Got Softer

On October 19 the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas lowered its 2026 Texas employment forecast to 0.9%, or about 134,000 jobs for the year. The long-run Texas average is closer to 2%. September was a rough month statewide, with employment falling at an annualized 1.6% and most sectors shedding jobs. The state unemployment rate held at 4.4%.

The same release said the unemployment rate in the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine division declined in September, while the Dallas side held flat. Manufacturing was the statewide bright spot, which matters on this side of the Metroplex, where aerospace, auto assembly and the Alliance corridor plants anchor thousands of jobs.

💼 Where Fort Worth Is Adding Jobs

Preliminary September figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics put total nonfarm employment in the Fort Worth-Arlington division at about 1.22 million jobs, up 1.2% from a year earlier. By our math, that works out to roughly 14,000 more jobs than September 2025.

Mining, logging and construction: up 4.5%. The fastest-growing sector in the region. If you work with your hands, from electrical to heavy equipment, start your search here.
Professional and business services: up 4.3%. Office support, staffing, engineering and administrative roles, much of it clustered downtown, in Clearfork and up the I-35W corridor.
Leisure and hospitality: up 2.5%. Restaurants, hotels and venues from Sundance Square to the Stockyards to the Arlington entertainment district.
Trade, transportation and utilities: up 1.7%. The biggest sector in the region by headcount, with nearly 292,000 jobs, driven by warehouses and distribution centers around AllianceTexas and along I-20.

⚠️ Where Hiring Has Cooled

Not every corner of the market is growing. Over the same 12 months, information jobs fell 4.3%, government employment fell 2.2%, and financial activities slipped 1.3%. Education and health services and manufacturing were essentially flat, each up just 0.1%.

Flat isn't frozen. A flat number can hide big hiring at one hospital or plant and cuts at another, so the Near Southside medical district and the big manufacturers are still worth watching. But if you work in banking, media or public administration, expect more competition per opening and plan to widen your radius or retool toward an adjacent field.

💵 What It Pays

The Dallas Fed's most recent Fort Worth Economic Indicators report, covering July, put average hourly earnings in the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine area at $37.65, up 3.6% from a year earlier. That average covers every private job from entry level to executive, so read it as a sign of direction, not a starting wage. Still, wages are rising, so it's worth negotiating.

🔎 Where to Aim Your Search

A slower statewide forecast means employers get pickier, not that they stop hiring. Lead with the sectors that are still growing, tailor your resume to the job title, and apply early in the week.

Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Worth still adding jobs?

Yes. Preliminary BLS data show Fort Worth-Arlington employment up 1.2% in September 2026 compared with a year earlier, even though statewide hiring slowed.

What did the Dallas Fed change in its forecast?

On October 19 it lowered its 2026 Texas job-growth forecast to 0.9%, about 134,000 jobs, after employment fell statewide in September.

Which Fort Worth sectors are growing fastest?

Construction, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and trade and transportation, in that order by percentage growth.

Which sectors are shrinking?

Information, government and financial activities all have fewer jobs than a year ago. Health care and manufacturing were roughly flat.

Are these numbers final?

No. The September metro figures are preliminary and are often revised, so treat them as a direction, not a final count.

Put the Numbers to Work

Data is only useful if it changes where you apply. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get new Fort Worth openings first, and browse the Career Center for role-by-role guides on pay and requirements.

Employers: Hiring in a tighter, pickier market? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach Tarrant County job seekers directly.