T.L.L. TEMPLE FOUNDATION
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Texarkana region currently has an • The employment base of 68,083 jobs. Between
2019 and 2020, the regional employment base contracted by 3.2 percent. However, it had never fully recovered from the Great Recession.
retail trade; and government are • Healthcare; the largest sectors in the region. Within the
government sector, the federal government (civilian), which includes the Bureau of Prisons, is the largest segment. Healthcare; accommodation and food services; and manufacturing are expected to be the largest sources of employment growth over the next five years.
2016 and 2019, the region experienced • Between a net loss of 94 jobs. Between 2019 and 2020, the region lost more than 2,000 jobs. Government; other services; and retail trade were the biggest losers. Healthcare; manufacturing; and construction were the biggest winners.
quotients (LQs) measure the share of • Location local industry employment relative to the nation.
A high location quotient can be an indicator of a potential competitive advantage. In the Texarkana region, government; utilities; and accommodations and food services have above average LQs. A more granular look at industry concentrations at a finer level of detail shows a degree of specialization in forestry and forest products. Other high LQs are rubber product manufacturing—as the region is the location of a large Cooper Tire & Rubber Company tire manufacturing facility—as well as fabricated metal product manufacturing, and home healthcare.
sectors that are expected to grow the most • The over the next five years and pay the highest wages are healthcare; manufacturing; and construction.
serves as the primary employment • Texarkana center for the three-county region. employers include hospitals, • Major federal and state correctional facilities, and forest products manufacturers.
Image courtesy TLL Temple Foundation
TEXARKANA REGION ECONOMIC AND LABOR MARKET PROFILE
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