Sherman-Denison holds steady while Texas accelerates around it.
4.4%
Metro unemployment rate
vs 3.9% Texas, 4.2% national
+100 jobs
Metro monthly job growth
0.0% month-over-month, Aug–Sep 2026
0.9%
Metro annual job growth
vs 1.1% Texas annual growth
4.8%
Texas manufacturing wage growth
Strongest pace since Dec 2023, Dallas Fed
This Month's Takeaways
01
Sherman-Denison growth has stalled, not reversed.
Zero monthly job growth and a 4.4% unemployment rate point to a metro economy in a holding pattern rather than contraction — annual job growth of 0.9% is positive but trails the statewide 1.1% pace. That gap is worth tracking for economic development messaging that compares the metro favorably or unfavorably to state trends.
02
Manufacturing wage strength diverges from local pay data on the floor.
Texas manufacturing wages rose 4.8% over the year statewide, the strongest pace since 2023, yet metro manufacturing production worker pay reads flat. That divergence suggests wage gains at anchor employers like Texas Instruments and Tyson may be concentrated in specialized or supervisory roles rather than broadly lifting production-floor compensation.
03
Public-sector stability remains the metro's quiet asset.
Sherman ISD's position as the metro's second-largest employer provides payroll stability at a moment when national government employment has shed 216,000 jobs over the past year. Local economic resilience currently owes as much to steady public employment as to private-sector expansion.
04
Construction and skilled trades pay is rising while broader local pay softens.
HVAC technician and electrician advertised pay both moved up significantly locally, consistent with statewide construction employment growth of 5.1% — more than double the national pace. That divergence against declining pay in retail, food service, and administrative roles points to a two-speed local labor market worth monitoring for consumer spending implications.
Local Economic Conditions
Sherman-Denison added just 100 jobs between August and September, holding the metro unemployment rate at 4.4% — a full point above the 3.9% statewide figure and ranking the MSA 12th among Texas metros. Manufacturing anchors tied to Texas Instruments and Tyson Foods, alongside steady public-sector employment at Sherman ISD, continue to provide the metro's base load even as national hiring cools to 29,000 jobs added and Texas growth concentrates in larger metros with stronger tech and logistics pipelines.
Open Threads in the Data
Flat month-over-month job growth alongside a stable 4.4% unemployment rate signals a local economy holding steady rather than expanding — a signal relevant to site-selection conversations, workforce development funding priorities, and chamber messaging about the metro's competitive position within North Texas. Commerce leaders weighing whether this is a moment to court new investment should note that labor supply looks adequate relative to current demand, a contrast with the tighter statewide labor market where manufacturers report applicant shortages. Current conditions suggest this may be a reasonable window to pursue employer-attraction efforts that would otherwise compete against a tighter labor pool elsewhere in the state.
Advertised Pay Indicators · WageScape Benchmark 25 Jobs
Job postings data for the Sherman-Denison, TX MSA metro — median advertised pay, its recent trend, and the number of active postings behind each figure. Jobs are grouped for readability and are not the same as the 10 sector classifications on the next page. For additional job detail contact WageScape.
Retail Trade
| Retail Sales Associate |
$27,229 |
→ Stable |
448 |
| Retail Cashier |
$25,067 |
↓ Moderate decline |
190 |
Transportation & Warehousing
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate |
$35,360 |
↑ Moderate increase |
82 |
| CDL Truck Driver |
$81,272 |
↓ Moderate decline |
835 |
| Delivery Driver |
$30,405 |
↓ Significant decline |
552 |
| Warehouse Manager |
— |
Limited local postings |
— |
Construction
| Construction Laborer |
$28,567 |
↓ Significant decline |
20 |
Construction/Skilled Trades
| Electrician |
$67,600 |
↑ Moderate increase |
117 |
| HVAC Technician |
$65,000 |
↑ Significant increase |
15 |
Manufacturing
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler |
$33,726 |
→ Stable |
50 |
Cross-Sector
| Customer Service Representative |
$42,500 |
↓ Moderate decline |
62 |
| Operations Manager |
— |
Limited local postings |
— |
Leisure & Hospitality
| Food Service Worker |
$28,729 |
↓ Significant decline |
28 |
Healthcare
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide |
$36,400 |
→ Stable |
307 |
| Registered Nurse |
$90,184 |
↑ Moderate increase |
496 |
Admin/Office Support
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk |
$37,440 |
↓ Moderate decline |
50 |
Information/Technology
| Software Engineer |
— |
Limited local postings |
— |
| Data Engineer |
$136,140 |
↑ Moderate increase |
29,902 |
Professional & Business Services
| Accountant |
$72,500 |
↑ Moderate increase |
43,446 |
| HR Generalist/Manager |
$72,500 |
↑ Significant increase |
7,980 |
| Marketing Specialist |
$60,734 |
→ Stable |
6,674 |
| Business Analyst |
$97,107 |
→ Stable |
26,220 |
Finance & Insurance
| Financial Analyst |
$93,298 |
↑ Moderate increase |
13,103 |
Government/Education
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher |
$53,035 |
↑ Significant increase |
162 |
Cross-Sector Sales
| Account Manager |
$34,676 |
↓ Significant decline |
10 |
Industry Snapshot · Sherman-Denison, TX MSA
Advertised pay and job-posting trends across the whole metro economy, rolled up by employer industry — not just the bellwether roles above.
| Sector |
Median Pay Change |
Job Postings Change |
| Construction |
↑ +6.1% |
↑ +103.6% |
| Manufacturing |
↑ +7.4% |
↑ +192.6% |
| Retail Trade |
↑ +10.0% |
↑ +46.8% |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities |
↑ +9.4% |
↑ +31.2% |
| Information |
↓ −38.3% |
↓ −15.2% |
| Financial Activities |
↓ −12.5% |
↑ +7.5% |
| Professional & Business Services |
→ 0.0% |
↑ +95.9% |
| Education & Health Services |
↑ +6.6% |
↑ +23.1% |
| Leisure & Hospitality |
↓ −16.3% |
↑ +50.4% |
| Government |
↑ +93.6% |
↑ +1000.0% |
Looking Ahead · Next 30–60 Days
Worth watching
Grayson County's unemployment rate sits slightly above the metro figure at 4.6%, suggesting softness may be concentrated outside Sherman and Denison proper. Watch whether county-level data diverges further from the metro headline over the next two releases.
Potential inflection point
Texas construction and manufacturing momentum, including an upward Dallas Fed 2026 growth revision to 2.0%, has yet to clearly show up in Sherman-Denison's flat monthly job count. A pickup here would be an early signal the metro is catching the statewide expansion rather than trailing it.
Emerging pressure point
National WARN filings remain elevated with Amazon, Meta, Oracle and Tyson Foods among firms appearing in federal disclosures; none of the Sherman-area WARN activity has been tied to major local employers to date. Continued national layoff activity in logistics and food processing is worth monitoring given Tyson's local footprint.
Early indicator
Real wage growth has turned negative nationally, with inflation at 3.4% outpacing a 3.0% national wage gain — the weakest pace since 2021. Whether Texas's stronger 3.9% wage growth is enough to preserve local purchasing power will matter for consumer-facing sectors across the metro's retail and service base.
Sources & Methodology
Pay and hiring data provided by WageScape. See every source cited in this report, with links →
Advertised pay reflects the pay ranges employers publish in active job postings in this metro, not survey or payroll data. Pay trends compare the current period with the prior period for the same metro and role. Sector figures group postings by the employer's industry classification; sectors with limited classified postings are marked as such rather than estimated. This briefing is independent of, and complements, official statistics from the BLS and state labor market information offices.
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