Baytown, TX – December 2023 Jobs Report – Steady Gains Amidst Regional Fluctuations

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Baytown’s job market maintained its positive momentum in December 2023, adding jobs for the sixth consecutive month. While the pace of growth moderated compared to previous months, the city defied a slight dip in employment observed across the broader Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

Highlights:

  • Nonfarm payroll employment: Increased by 256 jobs, bringing the total to 34,361.
  • Unemployment rate: Remained unchanged at 3.8%, marking the lowest level since December 2019.
  • Labor force participation: Held steady at 61.4%.

What Industries and Occupations Grew:

What Industries and Occupations Shrank:

  • Manufacturing: Shed 29 jobs, with losses concentrated in chemical manufacturing (-18 jobs).
  • Construction: Declined by 15 jobs, continuing a three-month trend.
  • Leisure and Hospitality: Lost 10 jobs, primarily in food services and drinking places (-9 jobs).

Compare to Same Month Last Year:

  • Baytown’s job market added 1,453 jobs year-over-year, representing a 4.4% growth rate. This outpaced the 3.4% growth observed in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA.
  • The unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than in December 2022.

Compare to Previous Month:

  • The December job gain was slightly lower than the 320 jobs added in November 2023.
  • The unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous month.

Future Outlook:

The ongoing expansion of major employers in Baytown, including ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell, coupled with continued infrastructure projects, suggests sustained job growth in the near future. However, potential headwinds such as rising interest rates and global economic uncertainties could moderate the pace of expansion.

10 Growing Occupations in Baytown (December 2023 Y-o-Y change):

  1. Registered Nurses (+12.8%)
  2. Truck Drivers (+9.8%)
  3. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers (+8.7%)
  4. Retail Salespersons (+8.3%)
  5. Construction Laborers (+7.9%)
  6. Transportation and Motor Vehicle Mechanics (+7.5%)
  7. Electrical and Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers (+7.1%)
  8. Maintenance and Repair Workers (+6.9%)
  9. Food Service Supervisors (+6.7%)
  10. Customer Service Representatives (+6.5%)

10 Companies Hiring Now in Baytown (according to Indeed.com as of January 29, 2024):

  1. ExxonMobil
  2. LyondellBasell
  3. Baytown Independent School District
  4. Kroger
  5. Walmart
  6. H-E-B
  7. City of Baytown
  8. Republic Services
  9. Waste Management
  10. Texas Health

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