The State of Texas has seen explosive growth over the last two decades or so, and especially in the last five to seven years. People from liberal run states are seeing the light, packing up, and fleeing their Democrat controlled shenanigans. Texas has seen some of the biggest influx of migrants from other states, especially people running from California.
But it is not just residents. Companies like Tesla and Microsoft have fled the Silicon Valley to head for Austin, and set up shop there to get away from the Gavin Newsom politics. That region of Texas in particular has seen rapid growth, with projections taking the region to over 8.3 million people by 2050.
Economist Hank Lewis from Lone Star College says San Marcos, Austin, and San Antonio have just molded together.
"There is no space between them like there used to be 10 years ago...it is good for th eeconomy as far as our labor base, and tax base...just not so good for fighting traffic," he says.
Anyone who has been to Austin knows the nightmares of I-35, and the sometimes hours long delays that can cause.
But also, anyone who knows Texas knows Austin was already the liberal city and has been for decades. That is being exacerbated by the influx of Californians who want to move here. While it is great for the economy, it can be harmful in our Conservative political ways.
"You get too many people from outside coming in, you get an exchange of ideas...and people who adopt them," he says. "But also, you may make them more Conservative, as they realize it is better to pay property taxes instead of state income taxes."
In the City of Austin too, they are trying to respond to that influx by building million-dollar homes all over the place. Which looks great in theory, but creates some issues.
"If you are an average, working class person...trying to find affordable housing gets that much harder," he says. "That is something that needs to be addressed."
Now, Texas as a state is the second largest in the country, and five of the top 15 largest cities in the country are right here in Texas. We sit only behind California in population.
Will we ever catch them? That is unlikely, according to Lewis.
"A lot of that has to do with the fact California attracts a certain type of individual...if you are not rich, you cannot live there. The people who go there too for its particular features," he says. "Texas is lovely...but we are not California. It is hotter here, and we do not have the Pacific Ocean."