Summary of Findings

•The Texarkana region currently has an 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. • Healthcare; retail trade; and government are 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. • Between 2016 and 2019, the region experienced 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. • Location quotients (LQs) measure the share of 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. • The sectors that are expected to grow the most over the next five years and pay the highest wages are healthcare; manufacturing; and construction. • Texarkana serves as the primary employment center for the three-county region. • Major employers include hospitals, federal and state correctional facilities, and forest products manufacturers.

Image courtesy TLL Temple Foundation