Jobs, pay and daily life in Odessa, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Odessa is a city in Texas with 115,322 residents. The median household earns $73,472 a year and the median rent is $1,315 a month, which is 21.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Odessa, TX metropolitan area, where BLS counts 80,910 jobs.
How Odessa compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, Odessa is #35 by population, #118 for remote work (#1 = most), #110 for college degrees (#1 = most), #33 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Ector County, is #29 of 254 counties for average pay ($75,029).
Odessa has 115,322 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Texas. It covers 52 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,216 people per square mile. The median age is 31.1, 13% younger than the state median (31.1 against 35.6).
The median gross rent is $1,315 a month (rent plus utilities), 6% below the state median ($1,315 against $1,403). Over a year that is 21.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $223,100, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($73,472); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 59.8% of households own their home, 4% below the state average (59.8% against 62.6%).
The Odessa, TX metropolitan area has 80,910 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,590 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,590 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are construction and extraction (10,360 jobs, median $49,610); transportation and material moving (9,310 jobs, median $46,280); office and administrative support (8,320 jobs, median $44,560). The area is most specialised in construction and extraction (3.1 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (2.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,310) and installation, maintenance, and repair ($58,990). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Ector County was 3.7%. 69.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Ector County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 83.5% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 3.4% work from home. 10.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (10.1% against 16.9%).
19.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44% below the state share (19.0% against 33.8%). 15.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 11% below the state share (15.6% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 16.2%, 17% above the state rate (16.2% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 43°F (6.1°C). About 411 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (59 mm) and Jan the driest (17 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: West Odessa (10 miles, rent 32% lower); Midland (17 miles, rent 9% higher); San Angelo (115 miles, rent 12% lower); Lubbock (119 miles, rent 10% lower). Rent differences are against Odessa; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Texas (1,541) →State guide: TexasCountry guideEctor CountyTexas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,541 federal postings open in Texas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,190 | 2.97 | $58,370 | $40,480 | $77,930 | -0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,960 | 1.48 | $28,390 | $22,390 | $35,470 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,630 | 1.44 | $104,100 | $47,420 | $223,730 | -2% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,900 | 0.94 | $30,320 | $23,750 | $46,740 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,810 | 1.23 | $39,810 | $28,840 | $49,960 | +7% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 1,660 | 7.28 | $60,190 | $45,210 | $84,510 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 1,580 | 0.98 | $29,000 | $21,990 | $37,780 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,400 | 1.18 | $22,600 | $17,290 | $47,540 | -36% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,390 | 1.08 | $40,110 | $28,090 | $60,230 | -11% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,380 | 3.27 | $78,580 | $48,970 | $123,070 | -2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,230 | 0.80 | $39,600 | $30,350 | $48,110 | -2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,150 | 0.85 | $39,270 | $28,970 | $58,340 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,140 | 0.65 | $81,370 | $71,690 | $104,080 | -17% |
| Electricians | 1,030 | 2.61 | $57,110 | $41,690 | $75,150 | -10% |
| Construction Laborers | 970 | 1.69 | $38,380 | $34,390 | $50,650 | -19% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 950 | 0.42 | $27,670 | $21,370 | $33,040 | -23% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 920 | 1.03 | $45,060 | $29,120 | $62,380 | -5% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 900 | 1.40 | $65,750 | $40,950 | $130,400 | -9% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 880 | 1.23 | $48,930 | $33,040 | $72,120 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 840 | 0.73 | $37,320 | $25,980 | $46,170 | +1% |
These figures are for the whole Odessa, TX metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,590 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 12.1% |
| Retail trade | 11.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 10.1% |
| Manufacturing | 7.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.3% |
| Construction | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.3% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Public administration | 2.5% |
| Information | 1.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Odessa lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Midland County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ector County | 164,654 | $16,516 million | $100,307 | 79,763 | 4,285 | $75,029 | +2.4% | 3.7% | 89,051 |
| Midland County | 174,801 | $41,547 million | $237,681 | 118,325 | 6,420 | $97,166 | +3.1% | 3.2% | 105,461 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, oil and gas | 12,258 | 17.6% | $115,992 | 40.63 |
| Accommodation and food services | 9,077 | 13.1% | $27,120 | 1.25 |
| Retail trade | 8,774 | 12.6% | $44,134 | 1.10 |
| Construction | 6,880 | 9.9% | $90,094 | 1.64 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,634 | 9.5% | $100,960 | 2.11 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,063 | 7.3% | $62,174 | 0.44 |
| Manufacturing | 4,354 | 6.3% | $92,467 | 0.66 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,549 | 5.1% | $80,008 | 1.05 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,962 | 4.3% | $60,481 | 1.23 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,426 | 3.5% | $92,270 | 0.44 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,233 | 3.2% | $85,613 | 1.80 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,131 | 3.1% | $66,491 | 0.45 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,285 | 1.8% | $68,121 | 0.40 |
| Educational services | 440 | 0.6% | $50,773 | 0.27 |
| Information | 384 | 0.6% | $62,249 | 0.26 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 383 | 0.6% | $20,281 | 0.29 |
| Utilities | 361 | 0.5% | $168,900 | 1.19 |
| Management of companies | 294 | 0.4% | $97,947 | 0.22 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 61 | 0.1% | $47,400 | 0.09 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 83.5% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 3.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,472 |
| Income per person | $38,171 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,315 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.5% |
| Median home value | $223,100 |
| Homeowners | 59.8% |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,590 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 81.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 19.0% |
| Born abroad | 15.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.1 | 43 | 17 |
| Feb | 8.5 | 47 | 17 |
| Mar | 13.8 | 57 | 25 |
| Apr | 18.7 | 66 | 25 |
| May | 23.6 | 74 | 46 |
| Jun | 28.1 | 83 | 46 |
| Jul | 28.6 | 83 | 44 |
| Aug | 28.3 | 83 | 48 |
| Sep | 24.1 | 75 | 59 |
| Oct | 18.3 | 65 | 43 |
| Nov | 11.4 | 53 | 24 |
| Dec | 6.4 | 44 | 17 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Odessa | TX | 10 mi | 32,594 | $65,234 | $891 |
| Midland | TX | 17 mi | 136,640 | $89,585 | $1,434 |
| San Angelo | TX | 115 mi | 99,674 | $65,864 | $1,153 |
| Lubbock | TX | 119 mi | 264,814 | $60,895 | $1,182 |
| Abilene | TX | 158 mi | 128,053 | $62,648 | $1,157 |
| Del Rio | TX | 194 mi | 34,668 | $66,158 | $895 |
| Socorro | TX | 230 mi | 37,123 | $54,744 | $1,032 |
| Amarillo | TX | 231 mi | 201,885 | $65,912 | $1,092 |
| El Paso | TX | 240 mi | 680,130 | $59,745 | $1,073 |
| Wichita Falls | TX | 262 mi | 102,581 | $60,177 | $1,022 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
115,322 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,315 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.5% of the median household income.
$73,472 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Ector County (latest month 2026M09)).
Texas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.