NextChapter

Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest

Bastrop County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest: 19 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Key facts

  • #1 Bastrop County, TX: 19 per 100
  • #2 Travis County, TX: 19 per 100
  • #3 Dallas County, TX: 11 per 100
  • 32 counties ranked in the Southwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.

  1. 1Bastrop County TX19 per 100
  2. 2Travis County TX19 per 100
  3. 3Dallas County TX11 per 100
  4. 4Waller County TX8 per 100
  5. 5Potter County TX6 per 100
  6. 6Maricopa County AZ5 per 100
  7. 7Collin County TX5 per 100
  8. 8Taylor County TX5 per 100
  9. 9Midland County TX5 per 100
  10. 10Washoe County NV4 per 100

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Bastrop County (19 per 100) is well clear of Washoe County at #10 (4 per 100).
  • Potter County reaches #5 on a sample of 128 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Dallas County is the largest market in the top ten, with 6,562 openings behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Counties differ in how many professional openings there are for each person looking for work. The ratio is one way to compare how much hiring is happening in a place against how many people need it.

How to use it

Use it to compare places, not to count your own odds. Our openings cover professional roles on the career sites we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Bastrop County TX

    19 per 100

    Professional openings
    419
    People unemployed
    2,189
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 419 openings.

    Bastrop County job market

  2. 2

    Travis County TX

    19 per 100

    Professional openings
    5,850
    People unemployed
    31,598
    Unemployment rate
    3.6%

    Based on 5,850 openings.

    Travis County job market

  3. 3

    Dallas County TX

    11 per 100

    Professional openings
    6,562
    People unemployed
    61,558
    Unemployment rate
    4.2%

    Based on 6,562 openings.

    Dallas County job market

  4. 4

    Waller County TX

    8 per 100

    Professional openings
    135
    People unemployed
    1,613
    Unemployment rate
    5.1%

    Based on 135 openings.

    Waller County job market

  5. 5

    Potter County TX

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    128
    People unemployed
    2,122
    Unemployment rate
    4.0%

    Based on 128 openings.

    Potter County job market

  6. 6

    Maricopa County AZ

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    5,165
    People unemployed
    100,073
    Unemployment rate
    4.1%

    Based on 5,165 openings.

    Maricopa County job market

  7. 7

    Collin County TX

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,498
    People unemployed
    29,264
    Unemployment rate
    4.1%

    Based on 1,498 openings.

    Collin County job market

  8. 8

    Taylor County TX

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    128
    People unemployed
    2,617
    Unemployment rate
    3.5%

    Based on 128 openings.

    Taylor County job market

  9. 9

    Midland County TX

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    154
    People unemployed
    3,333
    Unemployment rate
    3.2%

    Based on 154 openings.

    Midland County job market

  10. 10

    Washoe County NV

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    416
    People unemployed
    9,442
    Unemployment rate
    3.5%

    Based on 416 openings.

    Washoe County job market

  11. 11

    Harris County TX

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    4,986
    People unemployed
    117,336
    Unemployment rate
    4.6%

    Based on 4,986 openings.

    Harris County job market

  12. 12

    Rockwall County TX

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    121
    People unemployed
    2,909
    Unemployment rate
    3.8%

    Based on 121 openings.

    Rockwall County job market

  13. 13

    Hunt County TX

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    104
    People unemployed
    2,534
    Unemployment rate
    4.4%

    Based on 104 openings.

    Hunt County job market

  14. 14

    McLennan County TX

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    209
    People unemployed
    5,303
    Unemployment rate
    4.0%

    Based on 209 openings.

    McLennan County job market

  15. 15

    Tulsa County OK

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    542
    People unemployed
    14,000
    Unemployment rate
    3.9%

    Based on 542 openings.

    Tulsa County job market

  16. 16

    Oklahoma County OK

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    605
    People unemployed
    16,261
    Unemployment rate
    3.8%

    Based on 605 openings.

    Oklahoma County job market

  17. 17

    Tarrant County TX

    4 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,851
    People unemployed
    50,393
    Unemployment rate
    4.1%

    Based on 1,851 openings.

    Tarrant County job market

  18. 18

    Pima County AZ

    3 per 100

    Professional openings
    691
    People unemployed
    23,136
    Unemployment rate
    4.8%

    Based on 691 openings.

    Pima County job market

  19. 19

    Bexar County TX

    3 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,327
    People unemployed
    45,321
    Unemployment rate
    4.3%

    Based on 1,327 openings.

    Bexar County job market

  20. 20

    Smith County TX

    3 per 100

    Professional openings
    130
    People unemployed
    4,871
    Unemployment rate
    4.0%

    Based on 130 openings.

    Smith County job market

  21. 21

    Bernalillo County NM

    2 per 100

    Professional openings
    378
    People unemployed
    15,373
    Unemployment rate
    4.6%

    Based on 378 openings.

    Bernalillo County job market

  22. 22

    Lubbock County TX

    2 per 100

    Professional openings
    146
    People unemployed
    6,255
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 146 openings.

    Lubbock County job market

  23. 23

    Nueces County TX

    2 per 100

    Professional openings
    132
    People unemployed
    7,516
    Unemployment rate
    4.4%

    Based on 132 openings.

    Nueces County job market

  24. 24

    Williamson County TX

    2 per 100

    Professional openings
    287
    People unemployed
    16,351
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 287 openings.

    Williamson County job market

  25. 25

    Clark County NV

    2 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,031
    People unemployed
    59,310
    Unemployment rate
    4.8%

    Based on 1,031 openings.

    Clark County job market

Full ranking

All 32 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Bastrop County TX19 per 100419
2Travis County TX19 per 1005,850
3Dallas County TX11 per 1006,562
4Waller County TX8 per 100135
5Potter County TX6 per 100128
6Maricopa County AZ5 per 1005,165
7Collin County TX5 per 1001,498
8Taylor County TX5 per 100128
9Midland County TX5 per 100154
10Washoe County NV4 per 100416
11Harris County TX4 per 1004,986
12Rockwall County TX4 per 100121
13Hunt County TX4 per 100104
14McLennan County TX4 per 100209
15Tulsa County OK4 per 100542
16Oklahoma County OK4 per 100605
17Tarrant County TX4 per 1001,851
18Pima County AZ3 per 100691
19Bexar County TX3 per 1001,327
20Smith County TX3 per 100130
21Bernalillo County NM2 per 100378
22Lubbock County TX2 per 100146
23Nueces County TX2 per 100132
24Williamson County TX2 per 100287
25Clark County NV2 per 1001,031
26Denton County TX2 per 100416
27El Paso County TX2 per 100307
28Montgomery County TX2 per 100271
29Galveston County TX2 per 100137
30Pinal County AZ1 per 100132
31Cameron County TX1 per 100131
32Fort Bend County TX1 per 100183

How this ranking works

A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people are ranked.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles by county; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the southwest?
Bastrop County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest: 19 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.
How many counties are ranked?
32 counties have at least 100 openings, so the list has 32 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out. Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-southwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-southwest">Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it