McLennan County, TX jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meMcLennan County economy
4.0%
unemployment, Sep 2026
4.2% the month before
132,717
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
263,608
people in McLennan County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$63,888
median household income
Source: Census ACS
36%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where McLennan County ranks
Where McLennan County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #14Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southwest4 per 100 · of 32
- #15Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Southwest47 / 100 · of 30
- #23Best county job markets for job seekers in the Southwest41 / 100 · of 30
McLennan County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 1.4% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 4.1% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 4.0%, down 0.2 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+1,381 jobs), hotels & food (+1,148 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: private education (−2,233 jobs), admin & staffing (−2,130 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in McLennan County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Navigating the AI shift: How workers, students, and business leaders in Waco are adapting to automation25 News KXXV · Oct 26, 2026
- Kristen Bell-founded brand cuts jobs, ends diaper production in Waco, 100+ more laid off in D-FWThe Dallas Morning News on MSN · Oct 1, 2026
- Hello Bello facility in Waco shutting down diaper manufacturing linesKWTX on MSN · Sep 30, 2026
Learn and get funded in McLennan County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
McLennan County layoffs
1
Layoff notices, last 12 months
67
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Bello Consumer WellnessTakes effect Nov 27, 2026 | McLennan County | 67 | — | State record |
Employers hiring most in McLennan County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Baylor University42 open roles
- SpaceX41 open roles
- L3HARRIS Technologies27 open roles
- Harris Health Strategic Fund15 open roles
- Magnolia Oil & Gas5 open roles
- L3Harris Technologies4 open roles
- Terracon Consultants4 open roles
- Howmet Aerospace3 open roles
- Powerx3 open roles
- The Agency3 open roles
Largest employers headquartered in McLennan County
- Baylor University1,001–5,000 employees
Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.
Colleges in McLennan County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor University | Waco | Private non-profit 4-year | 20,000+ |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving McLennan County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Texas? How to file for unemployment in Texas (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Inc.
Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, McLennan
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas - Waco
Waco · Comprehensive · 254-296-5200
M, W, Th, F 8am-5pm; Tu 8am-7pm
Cities in McLennan County
Other Texas counties
Laid off or looking for work in McLennan County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Texas’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Texas unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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