Houston’s economy is poised for record-breaking growth in 2025, with 75,000 new jobs projected, driven by expanding industries like health care, construction, and professional services.
Employment is looking brighter in 2025. According to the Greater Houston Partnership's (GHP) 2024 Houston Region Economic Outlook, Houston is on target to add 75,000 new jobs in 2025, bringing the city's total employment to more than 3.5 million, a record high.
Health care, construction, professional and technical services, government, and the hospitality industry, such as restaurants and bars, are key areas fueling growth. According to the research, Houston has already added more than 270,000 jobs in the last three years, with continued growth expected until 2026.
Patrick Jankowski, GHP's senior vice president and chief economist, spoke at the GHP's annual Economic Outlook luncheon on Dec. 12 and attributed Houston's upward trajectory to factors such as a stronger US economy, lower interest rates, and improving consumer confidence. Jankowski, who will retire in 2024, stated, "The outlook for [2025] is really pretty good." Houston will flourish as the US economy expands."
The survey also states that, with the exception of the technology sector, every industry is predicted to gain in jobs next year.
Houston's attraction goes beyond employment creation, as it continues to draw both domestic and international enterprises. According to Jankowski, the city now has 24 Fortune 500 corporations, nearly double the 13 that were located there in 1981.
Despite the prospect of a future recession, Jankowski is optimistic about the near-term economic outlook, noting, "The U.S. economy will likely not experience a recession for several years."
Houston's rapid expansion confirms its status as a hub for economic development and opportunities.
