Labor Day offered Fort Worth residents time off work and a chance to reflect on the city’s growing economic strength.
Data shows Fort Worth workers benefit from competitive pay, lower taxes, and a growing economy, according to federal and local reports. North Texas is projected to add 4 million residents over the next 25 years.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported average weekly wages in North Texas at $1,519, above the national average of $1,507. In Tarrant County, weekly pay ranges from $1,300 to $1,499, trailing Dallas and Collin counties but remaining competitive regionally.
ZipRecruiter puts Fort Worth’s average salary at $69,698 — about $4,600 higher than the Texas average. Officials credit the region’s 3.9 million workers and 58,000 annual graduates from area universities for building a skilled labor pool that attracts investment.
Advanced manufacturing remains central to Fort Worth’s economy. More than 300,000 employees work in the sector, accounting for nearly one-third of Texas’ manufacturing jobs, according to the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership.
“We want to bring business to Fort Worth,” Robert Allen, president and CEO of the partnership, said in May. “We want to help businesses work through the process. So we’ve got to go find it.”
The Dallas Federal Reserve reported mixed results for Texas’ economy in August. Employment stayed flat as the service sector outlook fell from 2.8 in July to 1.2, signaling little change.
At the same time, the Fed noted some improvement. The business activity index rose to 6.8, and the company outlook turned positive for the first time in six months.
Retail sales weakened. The retail outlook survey dropped to -2.1, while inventories fell for the seventh straight month, Fed officials reported.
Tourism remained a bright spot. Visit Fort Worth reported 11.5 million visitors last year, generating $3.5 billion in economic impact and $251 million in state and local taxes. Without that revenue, each household would face about $750 more in property taxes to maintain services.
Travel also remained strong. DFW International Airport expected 1.4 million passengers over the holiday, making Labor Day one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Domestic travelers saw lower costs than in 2024. Flights were 6% cheaper, hotel rates down 11%, and rental cars 3% lower. Gas prices averaged $2.74 per gallon in Tarrant County, under the state average of $2.75 and well below last year’s national average of $3.33.