Texas Continues to
Lead the Way
State among the best places to live and work
It’s no secret that Texas is good for both business and living. With a tax-friendly environment, skilled work force, and a host of community colleges and universities – some of them ranking among the best in the world – people who live here and do business here know how prosperous and fulfilling a life in Texas can be.
Still, recognition is nice. And Texas, for a number of years, has been regularly recognized by magazines, universities, institutions and think tanks for being, well, great. So for this issue, we can’t help but to take a bow and bask for a few, brief moments in the limelight and show you what others are saying about what’s happening throughout our communities. We encourage you to do so as well. After all, it’s the people, communities, and the businesses that make Texas great.
Housing forecast remains stable in Texas, boasting one of nation’s top markets
Homeowners here have a little less to worry about than folks in many other states. Texas cities dominate a list of the nation’s top markets in expected home price performance, according to a recent report. North Carolina-based Local Market Monitor’s Home Price Forecast places five Texas cities and 10 smaller communities on its list.
Among metropolitan areas with populations greater than 600,000, Dallas-Plano-Irving, Fort Worth–Arlington, Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown and San Antonio all appeared in the Top 10 list of cities with the best expected home price performance over the next year.
Best Performing Markets Include:
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
- Dallas-Plano-Irving
- Fort Worth-Arlington
- Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown
- Little Rock-North Little Rock- Conway, AR
- McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Rochester, NY
- San Antonio
- Syracuse, NY
- Wichita, KS
Source: Local Market Monitor
Texas cities first to muscle through recession
Nationally, the economic downturn has many people wondering when the recovery will be realized. But San Antonio and Austin will be the first major metro cities in the nation to recover from the recession, according to a forecast by IHS Global Insight. Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth also will fare well, according to the report, with jobs bouncing back to prerecession levels in 2011.
First U.S. Cities to Recover to Prerecession Job Levels:
- Austin-Round Rock
- San Antonio
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
- Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
Source: IHS Global Insight
Texas college towns add value to higher ed
Looking for a bargain while trying to pay for college during an economic downturn? There are Texas towns for that. U.S. News and World Report compiled a list of the 15 most underpriced college towns. Guess which state offers two college cities that make it easier for both budget-conscious moms and dads and nontraditional students to pay the bills while going to college?
The quality of research and degrees at Rice University combined with job and population growth, heralded Houston to the No. 1 spot on the list. College Station, with its family-friendly environment and median home values, placed third on the list.
Top College Towns
- Houston
- Atlanta, GA
- College Station
- Columbus, OH
- South Bend, IN
Source: U.S. News and World Report
Forbes: Texas metros best to live, work
Quality of life is critical when you’re trying to attract business. In Texas, that quality remains high and serves as just one reason why we’re among the best states to do business. In September, Forbes magazine serenaded Texans by placing Dallas, Houston and Austin among the top four U.S. cities to earn a living.
According to the magazine, Dallas was the most desirable city in the U.S. to live and work. Houston and Austin ranked second and fourth, respectively. Forbes’ findings were based on median income, cost of living and job growth.
Best U.S. Cities to Earn a Living:
- Dallas
- Houston
- Minneapolis, MN
- Austin
- Washington, DC
- St. Louis, MO
- Seattle,WA
- Atlanta, GA
- Kansas City, MO
- Denver, CO
Source: Forbes magazine