Austin #1 - America's Fastest Growing Cities (Forbes)

If you haven't heard, Austin is getting bigger.... 

Texas State Capitol

Forbes rated the 100 largest MSAs based on Population Growth, 2012 Job Growth, Rate of Economic Growth (gross metro product growth). They also used federal Unemployment Data & Median Salary data.  They came up with their list of the 20 fastest growing metro areas in the US.  Texas leads the nation, again!  This is GOOD for Real Estate - but not so great for traffic.  ;}

"Perhaps not surprisingly, cities in Texas — which welcomed more than 427,000 newcomers from August 2011 to July 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — dominated our list. Houston ranked second, behind Austin, followed by Dallas in third place and San Antonio in ninth. Robust labor markets, unemployment rates under 6% (well below the national average),no state income tax, a business-friendly regulatory environment, and strong population inflows all contributed to Texas towns’ high rankings."

1) Austin, TX

• M.S.A.: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
• 2012 Population growth rate: 2.8%
• 2013 Population growth rate: 2.7%
• Job growth rate: 3.1%
• Unemployment: 4.9%Gross Metro Product: 6.3%
• Median salary: $63,200

2) Houston, TX

• M.S.A.: Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
• 2012 Population growth rate: 2%
• 2013 Population growth rate: 2%
• Job growth rate: 3.4%
• Unemployment: 5.8%
• Gross Metro Product: 6.8%
• Median salary: $70,900

3) Dallas, TX

• M.S.A.: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
• 2012 Population growth rate: 2.1%
• 2013 Population growth rate: 2.1%
• Job growth rate: 2.1%
• Unemployment:5.7%
• Gross Metro Product: 5.9%
• Median salary: $65,100

4) Raleigh, NC
5) Salt Lake City, UT
6) Seattle, WA
7) Provo, UT
8) Phoenix, AZ

9) San Antonio, TX

• M.S.A.: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
• 2012 Population growth rate: 2.1%
• 2013 Population growth rate: 2%
• Job growth rate: 2%
• Unemployment: 5.6%
• Gross Metro Product: 4.1%
• Median salary: $56,900

10) Portland, OR
11) Washington, DC
12) San Jose, CA
13) San Diego, CA
14) San Francisco, CA
15) Boise, ID
16) Denver, CO
17) Oklahoma City, OK
18) Charlotte, NC
19) Bakersfield, CA
20) Ogden, UT


Full Text of Forbes.com Article