This article is part of an ongoing, county-by-county, industry overview of the Rural Capital Area. This article covers establishments, employment, and earnings in Lee County.
Establishments
As of 2022, Lee County has an estimated population of 17,543. The County seat is Giddings and is named after General Robert E. Lee. The largest industry in Lee County by number of establishments is Building Equipment Contractors (27 establishments) followed by Restaurants and Other Eating Places (25 establishments).
Figure 1: Number of Establishments in Lee County, 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
To be one of the industries with the most establishments in the area, an industry must have at least 9 establishments in Lee County. Of the industries in that group, Cattle Ranching and Farming saw the most growth in Lee County, growing 23% from 2021 to 2023. Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities also saw significant growth in the same period, increasing 21%. The industries with the most establishments all grew between 2021 and 2023.
Figure 2: Percent Change in Top Establishments, Lee County (By Number of Establishments ), 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
Employment
Utility System Construction is the largest industry group by number of employees in Lee County. Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production is the second-largest industry by number of employees. Two of the top three industries by employment in Lee County have seen increases in employment since 2021.
Figure 3: Number of Employees by Industry, Lee County, 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
By growth in employment, Oil and Gas Extraction saw some of the greatest changes from 2021 to 2023. Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production also saw substantial growth in employment from 2021 to 2023 while Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction had a major decline in employment.
Figure 4: Growth in Employment, Lee County, 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
Employment in Skilled Nursing Care Facilities saw significant growth in Lee County. This aligns with trends in those industries seen in the state and nation. Support Activities for Mining have seen a significant increase in employment, overall. However, its growth rate is substantially greater in the state and nation than in Lee County.
Figure 5: Decline in Employment, Lee County, 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
Earnings
Utility System Construction tops the list in Lee County as the industry with the most earnings ($23.7 million). Oil and Gas Construction appear in the second position ($4.5 million).
Figure 6: Earnings, Lee County, 2021 to 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2
One way to visualize industry earnings in Lee County is imagining all earnings from all industries as a hundred dollars. Of that hundred dollars, three of the seven industries listed comprise $40. Those seven industries produce about $52 altogether. The remaining $48 is produced by all other industries, meaning that earnings in Lee County are spread across a wide range of other sectors.
Figure 7: Earnings Visualized, Lee County, 2023
Source: Data Tactical Group, DTG 2024.Q2