McAllen loses trade jobs as Brownsville gains, but both metros grow overall

Key takeaways

• The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro added 4,000 jobs in August, a 1.3% increase year over year.
• The Brownsville-Harlingen metro added 2,800 jobs in August, a 1.7% increase year over year.
• Education and healthcare remain the largest industries in both metros, with steady job growth.
• McAllen lost jobs in trade and transportation, while Brownsville recorded gains in the same sector.
• Federal policy changes — including tariffs on Mexican goods and higher border crossing fees — could pressure Valley trade and transportation jobs in the coming months.

The Rio Grande Valley’s two largest metro areas added more jobs in August than during the same month last year, new Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows.

The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro had 302,700 nonfarm jobs in August, up from 298,700 in August 2024. That’s a gain of 4,000 jobs, or 1.3% year over year.

The Brownsville-Harlingen metro recorded 165,400 nonfarm jobs in August, up from 162,600 a year earlier. That’s an increase of 2,800 jobs, or 1.72% year over year.

By comparison, Texas added 17,600 nonfarm jobs through August, a 1.4% increase. U.S. job growth rose 0.5% in August.