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Central Texas Region
gross domestic product,
2020
About 3 percent of Texas’ GDP of $1.8 trillion.
Central Texas Region Counties:
- Bell
- Bosque
- Brazos
- Burleson
- Coryell
- Falls
- Freestone
- Grimes
- Hamilton
- Hill
- Lampasas
- Leon
- Limestone
- Madison
- McLennan
- Milam
- Mills
- Robertson
- San Saba
- Washington
The 20-county Central Texas region covers about 17,400 square miles in the heart of Texas, stretching from Hillsboro in the north, to Interstate 45 in the east, to East Yegua Creek in the south, to the confluence of the San Saba and Colorado rivers.
The region includes three metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): the College Station-Bryan MSA, comprising Brazos, Burleson and Robertson counties; the Waco MSA, comprising Falls and McLennan counties; and the Killeen-Temple MSA, comprising Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties.
Population Change
Brazos County and Bell County led the region’s growth, rising by 20 percent and 19.5 percent, respectively, between 2010 and 2020.
REGION
12.2%
TEXAS
15.9%
U.S.
7.4%
Jobs & Wages
Around 480,900 people were employed in the region in 2020, an increase of 41,548 jobs from 2010. Higher education is a top industry by employment, growth and location quotient (LQ). An LQ of 1.25 or higher indicates the industry is highly concentrated and unique to the regional economy.
Percent change in total jobs, 2010 to 2020
Employment growth in the Central Texas Region grew by 9.5%, compared to Texas at 17.1% and the U.S. at 7.8%.
Top Industries by Location Quotient, 2020
|
Industries with Largest Total Jobs Growth, 2015 to 2020
| Industry | Average Annual Wages | Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 | Percent Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools | $57,518 | 2,633 | 9.7% |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $28,557 | 1,892 | 27.7% |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $41,860 | 1,396 | 3.9% |
| Grocery Stores | $30,452 | 1,250 | 14.1% |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $48,320 | 1,163 | 17.5% |
THE Central Texas 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