Jobs, pay and daily life in Port Arthur, 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.
Port Arthur is a city in Texas with 55,828 residents. The median household earns $46,354 a year and the median rent is $1,021 a month, which is 26.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX metropolitan area, where BLS counts 163,220 jobs.
How Port Arthur compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, Port Arthur is #69 by population, #120 for remote work (#1 = most), #119 for household income (#1 = highest), #118 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Orange County, is #52 of 254 counties for average pay ($64,481).
Port Arthur has 55,828 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Texas. It covers 76 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 739 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, about the same as the state median (35.5 against 35.6).
The median gross rent is $1,021 a month (rent plus utilities), 27% below the state median ($1,021 against $1,403). Over a year that is 26.4% 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 $107,400, which is 2.3 times the median household income ($46,354); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.0% of households own their home, 7% below the state average (58.0% against 62.6%).
The Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX metropolitan area has 163,220 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,630 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,630 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (17,510 jobs, median $43,090); construction and extraction (15,760 jobs, median $56,690); food preparation and serving related (14,080 jobs, median $27,510). The area is most specialised in construction and extraction (2.3 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.6 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($103,380) and business and financial operations ($76,350). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Orange County was 4.9%. 53.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Orange County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 89.5% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 1.0% work from home. 11.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 33% below the state average (11.3% against 16.9%).
12.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 62% below the state share (12.8% against 33.8%). 20.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 16% above the state share (20.3% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 29.0%, 110% above the state rate (29.0% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 84°F (28.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 52°F (11.1°C). About 1,623 mm (64 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (186 mm) and Feb the driest (94 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: Beaumont (20 miles, rent 10% higher); Baytown (65 miles, rent 28% higher); Texas City (68 miles, rent 28% higher); La Porte (71 miles, rent 35% higher). Rent differences are against Port Arthur; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Texas (1,541) →State guide: TexasCountry guideOrange 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,050 | 1.25 | $26,630 | $21,630 | $31,750 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,560 | 1.24 | $97,470 | $46,330 | $214,900 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,840 | 0.94 | $29,810 | $22,810 | $44,610 | -16% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,390 | 0.75 | $23,510 | $21,870 | $30,570 | -34% |
| Construction Laborers | 3,340 | 2.90 | $44,240 | $35,050 | $64,580 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 3,140 | 0.97 | $28,730 | $21,430 | $36,690 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,100 | 0.88 | $81,180 | $63,280 | $106,710 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,080 | 1.03 | $35,630 | $28,450 | $45,520 | -5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,560 | 0.94 | $37,980 | $27,730 | $56,020 | -15% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,540 | 0.98 | $39,310 | $24,960 | $59,950 | -13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 2,460 | 2.89 | $76,390 | $49,290 | $98,510 | -4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,250 | 0.94 | $22,400 | $16,760 | $47,490 | -36% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,100 | 0.97 | $54,900 | $37,130 | $76,580 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,010 | 0.65 | $37,660 | $29,190 | $49,660 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,000 | 0.86 | $31,490 | $23,360 | $42,240 | -15% |
| Electricians | 2,000 | 2.52 | $61,380 | $45,240 | $75,090 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,980 | 1.10 | $43,310 | $29,240 | $60,530 | -9% |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 1,980 | 4.52 | $59,190 | $40,080 | $83,680 | +10% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,780 | 1.22 | $60,260 | $47,630 | $63,800 | -6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,750 | 1.09 | $45,210 | $29,740 | $69,970 | -9% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Managers | 550 | 2.13 | $150,860 | $94,790 | $208,030 | +20% |
| Financial Managers | 520 | 0.59 | $149,360 | $86,880 | $268,030 | -10% |
| Managers, All Other | 580 | 0.88 | $133,800 | $79,040 | $210,040 | -6% |
| Lawyers | 500 | 0.63 | $131,680 | $73,990 | $340,300 | -18% |
| Industrial Engineers | 710 | 1.85 | $123,660 | $80,750 | $169,670 | +21% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 650 | 1.04 | $102,420 | $60,430 | $155,680 | -17% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,670 | 1.49 | $100,470 | $56,440 | $165,360 | -2% |
| Construction Managers | 1,210 | 3.03 | $100,340 | $70,310 | $157,850 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,560 | 1.24 | $97,470 | $46,330 | $214,900 | -8% |
| Civil Engineers | 720 | 1.87 | $95,510 | $65,270 | $159,270 | -5% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 620 | 1.80 | $82,830 | $63,410 | $109,600 | -22% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,100 | 0.88 | $81,180 | $63,280 | $106,710 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,290 | 1.83 | $80,860 | $43,270 | $151,960 | +9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 1,280 | 1.97 | $78,910 | $47,190 | $137,140 | -1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 710 | 0.62 | $78,850 | $46,780 | $145,050 | -5% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 830 | 1.18 | $78,450 | $56,550 | $95,370 | +3% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 840 | 0.55 | $76,680 | $46,940 | $124,380 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 2,460 | 2.89 | $76,390 | $49,290 | $98,510 | -4% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 500 | 0.97 | $74,170 | $46,630 | $121,230 | -5% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,320 | 1.18 | $63,210 | $48,250 | $77,830 | -12% |
These figures are for the whole Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,630 (US $50,980); unemployment 5.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% |
| Construction | 16.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Manufacturing | 10.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.0% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Public administration | 5.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Port Arthur lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Jefferson County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 85,307 | $5,864 million | $68,743 | 24,358 | 1,478 | $64,481 | +2.5% | 4.9% | 42,682 |
| Jefferson County | 253,878 | $27,102 million | $106,753 | 124,861 | 5,839 | $69,970 | +4.8% | 5.7% | 116,028 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,847 | 24.3% | $112,543 | 2.42 |
| Retail trade | 3,353 | 16.8% | $37,512 | 1.38 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,509 | 12.6% | $19,941 | 1.13 |
| Construction | 2,411 | 12.1% | $83,573 | 1.89 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,511 | 7.6% | $39,265 | 0.43 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,114 | 5.6% | $84,416 | 0.66 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 765 | 3.8% | $55,818 | 1.04 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 711 | 3.6% | $74,141 | 0.69 |
| Administrative and waste services | 672 | 3.4% | $58,648 | 0.47 |
| Wholesale trade | 598 | 3.0% | $78,077 | 0.62 |
| Finance and insurance | 560 | 2.8% | $64,659 | 0.57 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 289 | 1.4% | $39,318 | 0.71 |
| Real estate and rental | 230 | 1.2% | $58,068 | 0.61 |
| Utilities | 126 | 0.6% | $131,503 | 1.36 |
| Educational services | 92 | 0.5% | $11,364 | 0.18 |
| Management of companies | 87 | 0.4% | $120,734 | 0.21 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 53 | 0.3% | $71,911 | 0.58 |
| Information | 22 | 0.1% | $48,068 | 0.05 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 12 | 0.1% | $43,996 | 0.06 |
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 | 89.5% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 1.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,354 |
| Income per person | $26,496 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,021 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.4% |
| Median home value | $107,400 |
| Homeowners | 58.0% |
| Poverty rate | 29.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 90.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,630 |
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 | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 78.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 12.8% |
| Born abroad | 20.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.1 | 52 | 131 |
| Feb | 13.1 | 56 | 94 |
| Mar | 16.9 | 62 | 96 |
| Apr | 20.7 | 69 | 109 |
| May | 24.7 | 76 | 131 |
| Jun | 27.9 | 82 | 171 |
| Jul | 28.5 | 83 | 157 |
| Aug | 28.8 | 84 | 186 |
| Sep | 26.5 | 80 | 166 |
| Oct | 22.0 | 72 | 146 |
| Nov | 16.7 | 62 | 107 |
| Dec | 12.6 | 55 | 129 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont | TX | 20 mi | 113,279 | $56,997 | $1,121 |
| Baytown | TX | 65 mi | 85,205 | $59,910 | $1,307 |
| Texas City | TX | 68 mi | 55,364 | $68,776 | $1,307 |
| La Porte | TX | 71 mi | 36,730 | $80,753 | $1,378 |
| Channelview | TX | 73 mi | 43,605 | $64,422 | $1,279 |
| Deer Park | TX | 75 mi | 33,967 | $100,382 | $1,318 |
| Pasadena | TX | 77 mi | 149,433 | $64,927 | $1,213 |
| Atascocita | TX | 78 mi | 99,354 | $118,226 | $1,849 |
| League City | TX | 78 mi | 116,215 | $121,099 | $1,684 |
| Galveston | TX | 81 mi | 53,424 | $55,631 | $1,298 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
55,828 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,021 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.4% of the median household income.
$46,354 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.9% (BLS county, Orange County (latest month 2026M09)).
Texas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.