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Walker County, TX Economy

Unemployment was 4.8% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $55,083 a year on average.

Unemployment rate
4.8%
-0.1 pts in a year
Labor force
30,312
-0.2% in a year
Income per person
$36,921
251st of 254 in TX
Average annual pay
$55,083
26,291 jobs, 2025

Unemployment rate in Walker County

Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.

Walker CountyTexas (seasonally adjusted)
Show as a table
PeriodWalker County
Aug 20264.8%
Dec 20253.9%
Dec 20243.6%
Dec 20233.6%
Dec 20223.9%
Dec 20214.2%
Dec 20206.1%
Dec 20192.9%
Dec 20183.4%
Dec 20173.5%
Dec 20164.3%
Dec 20154.7%
Dec 20144.4%
Dec 20135.7%
Dec 20126.4%

Jobs and pay by industry

Private employers in Walker County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

IndustryJobs1-year changeAverage pay
Retail trade2,969+0.8%$36,799
Accommodation and food services2,487+3.5%$20,552
Health care and social assistance2,009+1.2%$49,486
Manufacturing1,307-7.0%$76,610
Professional and technical services562-0.2%$59,060
Finance and insurance406+2.5%$64,881
Other services354-3.5%$39,973
Wholesale trade341+9.6%$70,658
Real estate and rental276+1.8%$42,871
Educational services250-1.2%$41,216
Mining, oil and gas146+5.0%$83,061
Arts, entertainment and recreation137-4.2%$30,787

Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 26,728 jobs (+1.5% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $1,090.

Income and output

Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

Total personal income
$3.09B
+5.5% in a year
Income per person
$36,921
TX: $69,823
GDP
$3.15B
Current dollars
Real GDP growth
+3.9%
Adjusted for inflation
Walker CountyTexas
Show as a table
PeriodWalker County
2024$36,921
2023$35,500
2022$34,220
2021$33,400
2020$30,658
2019$30,015
2018$27,553
2017$25,966
2016$25,939
2015$25,735
2014$25,608
2013$24,538
2012$23,796
2011$23,300
2010$22,577

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts

Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Walker County.

Business profile

Businesses in Walker County

County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024

Employer businesses
1,113
Employees
13,537
Mid-March
Annual payroll
$546M
Self-employed businesses
5,700
$269M receipts

By industry

  • Retail trade18016.2%
  • Accommodation and food services12110.9%
  • Construction11810.6%
  • Other services11110.0%
  • Health care and social assistance1079.6%
  • Professional and technical services928.3%
  • Real estate and rental776.9%
  • Finance and insurance645.8%

By number of employees

  • 1 to 459954.0%
  • 5 to 921319.2%
  • 10 to 1914513.1%
  • 20 to 491079.6%
  • 50 to 99322.9%
  • 100 to 249131.2%
  • 250 to 49900.0%
  • 500 to 99900.0%
  • 1,000 or more00.0%

Neighboring counties

Unemployment rate, Aug 2026

CountyRate1 year
Montgomery County4.6%+0.1 pts
Houston County4.6%-0.2 pts
Walker CountyThis county4.8%-0.1 pts
Grimes County5.0%0.0 pts
Madison County5.2%+0.3 pts
San Jacinto County5.6%-0.1 pts
Trinity County5.9%+0.1 pts

Federal money in Walker County

Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations

Frequently asked questions

What is the unemployment rate in Walker County, TX?
The unemployment rate in Walker County was 4.8% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 30,312 people in the labor force.
What is the average salary in Walker County?
Jobs in Walker County paid an average of $55,083 in 2025 ($1,059 a week), across 26,291 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
What are the biggest industries in Walker County?
The largest private industries by jobs are retail trade (2,969), accommodation and food services (2,487), health care and social assistance (2,009).
What is the income per person in Walker County?
Personal income per person was $36,921 in 2024, compared with $69,823 for Texas. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
How many businesses are in Walker County?
Walker County had 1,113 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 5,700 businesses with no employees.