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Capital region
gross domestic product,
2020
About 10 percent of Texas’ GDP of $1.8 trillion.
Capital Region Counties:
- Bastrop
- Blanco
- Burnet
- Caldwell
- Fayette
- Hays
- Lee
- Llano
- Travis
- Williamson
The 10-county Capital region covers about 8,600 square miles in central Texas, stretching from Llano to San Marcos and from La Grange to Georgetown.
The region has one metropolitan statistical area (MSA), the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA, which includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.
Population Change
The region’s population grew at a very rapid pace between 2010 and 2020, led by gains of 53 percent in Hays County, 44 percent in Williamson County and 31 percent in Bastrop County.
REGION
31.5%
TEXAS
15.9%
U.S.
7.4%
Jobs & Wages
About 1.2 million people are employed in the region. Regional employment rose by a whopping 33 percent between 2010 and 2020, more than four times the national growth. Technology-related industries are some of the region’s most concentrated industries as measured by location quotient (LQ). An LQ of 1.25 or higher indicates the region has a competitive advantage in the industry. Technology and consulting services led regional industry job growth.
Percent change in total jobs, 2010 to 2020
Employment growth in the Capital region grew by 33.2%, compared to Texas at 17.1% and the U.S. at 7.8%.
Top Industries by Location Quotient, 2020
| Industry | Employment | Average Annual Wages | Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 9,046 | $246,934 | 7.33 |
| Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation | 1,106 | $57,146 | 7.30 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 13,933 | $143,656 | 4.90 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 23,996 | $144,925 | 4.54 |
| Industrial Machinery Manufacturing | 2,980 | $125,974 | 3.33 |
Industries with Largest Total Jobs Growth, 2015 to 2020
| Industry | Average Annual Wages | Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 | Percent Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $139,256 | 10,341 | 32.3% |
| Management, Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | $91,102 | 6,739 | 36.8% |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $60,314 | 4,856 | 28.8% |
| Warehousing and Storage | $26,534 | 4,486 | 274.1% |
| Grocery Stores | $33,775 | 4,360 | 22.9% |
THE Capital REGION IS ONE OF THE COMPTROLLER’S 12 ECONOMIC REGIONS.
Sources: JobsEQ; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts