Bee County
The public sector is the largest
employer in Bee county. About one
in three employees work for the
government. The Texas Department of
Criminal Justice operates transfer and
correctional facilities within the county
with about 1,000 employees. In the
private sector, health care and retail
trade are the major industries, followed
by mining, and accommodation and
food services. Christus Spohn Hospital
is a one of the largest private employers
in Bee county. With two oil and gas rigs
running, the mining industry accounted
for approximately 8 percent of county
employment.
Employment Growth 2012-13 by Industry
Government
Other Services (except Public Admin)
Accommodation & Food Services
Arts & Recreation
Health Care & Social Assistance
Educational Services (Private)
Administrative & Support
Management of Businesses
Professional & Scientific Services
Real Estate & Rental
Finance & Insurance
Information
Transportation & Warehousing
Retail Trade
Wholesale Trade
Manufacturing
Construction
Utilities
Mining
Agriculture
Bee county’s overall employment
gained 2 percent in 2013. The county
witnessed significant growth in
manufacturing jobs, specifically in metal
fabrication which added 50 jobs in 2013.
In the mining sector, oil and gas extraction
and supporting activities added a total of
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
39 jobs. Emergency health care services,
as major employers in the county, added
Sales
250
20%
30%
40%
50%
another 82 positions in 2013 to a total of
835 jobs.
Home Starts
80%
Volume, $mil (left scale)
Y-o-Y % Change (right scale)
60%
200
40%
150
20%
100
0%
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
50
-20%
0
-40%
2008
2009
2010
Businesses in Bee county
2011
experienced significant growth in 2011
as oil and gas well drilling activity was
underway. Since then, business receipts
12
10%
|
2012
2013
2
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
have stayed at approximately $200
million per month. The county has also
maintained a stable housing market in
recent years. Nine home permits were
Annual Review of the South Texas Economy – 2014 Edition
issued for each of the previous three
years. The average value of new homes at
$115,000 remains nearly 50 percent below
the national average.