CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for temporary help services in Houston, TX
Temporary help services in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area: 928 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 52-person team.
- Establishments
- 928CBP 2023
- Employees
- 47,829mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 11.9U.S. 11.2
- Rank
- 6th of 637areas by count
How many temporary help services are in Houston, TX?
County Business Patterns counts 928 temporary help services (NAICS 561320, Temporary Help Services) in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area for 2023. Together they reported 47,829 mid-March employees and $2.5 billion of payroll for the year. That ranks 6th of the 637 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 7.8 million residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 11.9 temporary help services per 100,000 people, 5.8% above the national rate of 11.2. Establishments average 51.5 employees, 45.9% below the U.S. average of 95.3. Payroll per employee comes to $52,311, 7.6% above the national $48,635.
| Measure | Houston, TX | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 928 | 3,393 | 38,254 |
| Mid-March employees | 47,829 | 297,444 | 3,645,678 |
| Annual payroll | $2,501,999,000 | $12,877,988,000 | $177,308,415,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 51.5 | 87.7 | 95.3 |
| Payroll per employee | $52,311 | $43,296 | $48,635 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 11.9 | 10.8 | 11.2 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at temporary help services in Houston, TX
Of the temporary help services in Houston, TX that had employees in March 2023, 33.0% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 37.2%). 44.6% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 306 | 33.0% | 37.2% |
| 5–9 employees | 108 | 11.6% | 8.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 112 | 12.1% | 8.7% |
| 20–49 employees | 156 | 16.8% | 14.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 246 | 26.5% | 30.7% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a temporary staffing agency in Houston, TX has to catch
Staffing agencies fill shifts on short notice, so the phone is constantly in use with workers and clients. Early-morning call-outs require quick action. That holds for temporary help services in Houston, TX as much as anywhere.
Calls a temporary staffing agency in Houston, TX might handle in a typical week include:
- The agency calls workers about open shifts.
- A client calls for extra workers tomorrow.
- A worker calls about a paycheck.
When nobody can pick up
Call-outs and shift requests arrive early and late, so after-hours routing matters.
Business-hours routing in Callata sends calls to voicemail, a teammate's cell or an AI agent once the day ends, and voicemails arrive transcribed with an urgency flag.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for temporary help services in Houston, TX
The average temporary staffing agency in Houston, TX has 51.5 employees, so a 52-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 52 users would run $1,560.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $1,297.40 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 52 people cost $1,039.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $6,252. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $1,039.00 | $12,468.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $988.00 | $11,856.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $1,196.00 | $14,352.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $1,297.40 | $15,568.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $1,404.00 | $16,848.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $1,560.00 | $18,720.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Local area codes for temporary help services in Houston, TX
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 8 area codes. 713 has the most, with 747 of 2,385 exchanges (31%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your workers and clients recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 713 | 747 | Central | 1947 | 281, 346, 621, 832 |
| 832 | 547 | Central | 1999 | 281, 346, 713 |
| 281 | 393 | Central | 1996 | 346, 621, 713, 832 |
| 346 | 382 | Central | 2014 | 281, 621, 713, 832 |
| 936 | 144 | Central | 2000 | none |
| 979 | 100 | Central | 2000 | none |
| 409 | 71 | Central | 1982 | none |
| 806 | 1 | Central | 1957 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
Setting up Callata for a temporary staffing agency in Houston, TX
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Houston, TX, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many temporary help services are there in Houston, TX?
Census County Business Patterns counted 928 temporary help services in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area in 2023. They employed 47,829 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 52-person temporary staffing agency?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 52 users cost $1,560.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $1,297.40 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $1,039.00.
What area code should a temporary staffing agency in Houston, TX use?
Area code 713 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 832 and 281. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a temporary staffing agency?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.