Texas has THREE of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas. They are called the “Texas Triangle.” They are Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Dallas-Ft.Worth-Arlington, and Austin-San Antonio. At the same time, our rural areas are shrinking. Texas State Demographer Lloyd Potter explains:
“Younger people in Texas rural areas graduate from high school and move to metropolitan areas either for a job or education that is not available in their home county. Also, with younger people gone, fewer babies are born and the elderly mortality rate stays the same.”
Surprisingly, Harris County has lost population as of late. Potter says,
“Montgomery and Ft. Bend counties, however, have grown. People have a perceived idea that the schools are better, the cost of living is lower and the quality of life is higher. And they can always drive to Houston for work, entertainment and specialty shopping.”
No matter how small our rural areas become, we are still doing much better than cold weather areas and traditionally poor geographic domains like Appalachia.
Picture idea --- state of texas with some kind of wealth --- dollars, dollar signs, etc.