4 Texas cities among top 10 in growth (New Census Data]

AP ^ | March 27, 2008 | PAUL J. WEBER

[Aristotelian]

DALLAS - Four Texas metropolitan areas were among the biggest population gainers as Americans continued their trend of moving to the Sun Belt in 2006 and 2007, according to Census Bureau estimates to be released Thursday.

Dallas-Fort Worth added more than 162,000 residents between July 2006 and July 2007, more than any other metro area. Three other Texas areas — Houston, Austin and San Antonio — also cracked the top 10.

Atlanta saw the second-largest population jump with just over 151,000 new residents. Phoenix was third with more than 132,000, and was followed by Houston, Riverside, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas and San Antonio.

Of the 50 fastest-growing metro areas, 27 were in the South and 20 were in the West. Two were in the Midwest, one — Fayetteville, Ark. — straddles the South and Midwest and none was in the Northeast.

Detroit lost more than three times as many people as any other metro area — its population declined more than 27,300. Other areas losing more than 5,000 people were Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Ga., Youngstown, Ohio, and Buffalo, N.Y.

Experts credit much of the growth in the South to relatively strong local economies and housing prices that are among the most affordable in the U.S.

(snip)

Among other Census Bureau findings:

• On a percentage basis, the Palm Coast, Fla., area was the fastest-growing in the nation. Population there jumped by 7.2 percent to more than 536,000. The next areas experiencing the biggest surge in growth were St. George, Utah; Raleigh, N.C; Gainesville, Ga.; and Austin.

[Aristotelian]

I wish the data were correlated with local tax rates. I bet you'd see movement from high-tax to low-tax locales.

[Does so]

...Or how many are Americans and how many are “Katrinans”....

[georgiabelle]

I can tell you why Gainesville, Ga. is on the list of the fastest growing cities. Illegal immigrants. Atlanta Hwy. looks like Mexico. All the stores and signs are in Spanish. It’s disgusting.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"...Or how many are Americans and how many are “Katrinans”...."

You know, not everybody affected by Hurricane Katrina was an unemployed welfare layabout from New Orleans. I co-owned a mortgage brokerage in D'iberville, Mississippi when 38 feet of salt water wiped us out. Moving to Fort Worth in late 2005 was the best thing I've ever done. You should know by now not to believe everything you see on the boob tube or read in the funny papers. I encourage anyone who is unemployed, underemployed, lives in a depressed area or the just wants a change to try Dallas/Ft Worth. Real estate and rent is cheap, all kinds of jobs are available and you'll never get bored (unless you want to).

[BigCinBigD]

Well, I have put on a few pounds. But I had assumed it was the cheeseburgers.

[Does so]

"...All the stores and signs are in Spanish..."

In South Florida, "Se habla Espanol" pnce meant they had one employee who spoke Spanish.

Now I'm seeing that Shell Lumber advertises in the Yellow Pages with, "All our employees speak English". I'm guessing that's improvement. :-\

[normy]

Whoa there big fella! Lets take it easy with the invitations for the unemployed. I live in Plano and since Katrina have noticed a strange increase in young to middle aged beggars and unemployed just hanging out at the 7-11 in the middle of the day.

[2ndDivisionVet]

That was me. Did you give me any change? LOL

[TSgt]

Experts credit much of the growth in the South to relatively strong local economies and housing prices that are among the most affordable in the U.S.

They forgot to mention the warmer weather.

[normy]

Bwaaaha! No I didn't because your only in your thirties and you live in Plano! Plus I was leaving the beer store and you were going in.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Actually I’m 48. I remember that day: I had to drink Bud Lite instead of my preferred organic, esoteric, fair-trade, locally-sourced micro-brew with a hint of oak and raspberry. Bummer!

[mtbopfuyn]

...Or how many are Americans and how many are “Katrinans”....

Katrinans for sure but they also left out illegals.

[Kay Ludlow]

They forgot to mention the warmer weather.

They couldn't - that would violate the rules of the Goracle. If people really believed in Global Warming like his polls say, why would they be moving to an area that will be too hot and dry, and devastated by monster storms within the next decade? All news must be neutral or in favor of the Goracle's position - not a hint of disbelief can be allowed! LOL!

[normy]

Well you look good for your age but next time try Kroger, the store you were at is a little expensive. They make their money off of check cashing and Lotto sales. I just like the cute Paki clerk, you don't see cuties like her very often.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Seriously, though, I do work in Plano every now and again (long drive from Hulen Mall area) and it is a bit more expensive there than on my side of the Metroplex. I may have to replace my Mercedes 300D if diesel gets any more pricey. I don’t understand the mindset that comes to a bustling, teeming city such as ours and continues to expect Uncle Sugar to foot the bills. I need to hire tons of security guards in the next few months at decent wages!

[normy]

I think many of these guys were invited here by do gooder politicians. Its easier to lay around than work, especially if thats all you've done your whole life.

[Thermalseeker]

I live in Plano and since Katrina have noticed a strange increase in young to middle aged beggars and unemployed just hanging out at the 7-11 in the middle of the day.

Plano and Dallas are great places for everyone to move to. Pass the word: Tennessee sucks rocks......

[wolfcreek]

Austin is full. All growth is in the ‘burbs.

[Muleteam1]

Here are the 2006 total property tax rates for the Texas counties. These are given in cents per $100 of appraisal value.

Travis County (Austin) $0.4499

Denton County (Dallas) $0.23192

Tarrant County (Fort Worth) $0.3715

Harris County (Houston) $0.40239

Bexar County (San Antonio) $0.326866

I have property in a Texas county with a total rate at almost $0.75 so all of these I would consider to be very low. The 2006 property tax rates in Texas counties were as high as $0.9936 and as low as $0.23192. However, it is my guess that most people did little tax research before moving to Texas. They were just moving away from long winters and snow.

[Dallas]

Lucky friggin us. More traffic, and more liberal yankees.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

My rate in Fannin county is 0.62 which is a rural county that borders the Red River.....higher taxes but no traffic and friendly folks...heckuva deal!

[Ben Ficklin]

The Texas legislature needs to get on the stick and work out the road funding problems. And the water supply problems. And the electricity supply problems.

[Muleteam1]

I was incorrect in my first post. The highest rate belongs to Duval County, Texas with a rate of $1.03 per $100 appraisal value. Here are the 32 highest Texas counties for total property taxes.

The rates are shown as cents per $100 of appraisal value and are shown with their county seats. All are rural counties.

1. Duval County (San Diego) $1.03

2. Jim Hogg County (Hebbronville $0.9936

3. Throckmorton County (Throckmorton) $0.98704

4. Fisher County (Roby) $0.95

5. Foard County (Crowell) $0.9417

6. Delta County (Cooper) $0.932296

7. Lynn County (Tahoka) $0.9145

8. Falls County (Marlin) $0.8498

9. Crosby County (Crosbyton) $0.8497

10. Culberson County (Van Horn) $0.80732

11. Motley County (Matador) $0.8

12. King County (Guthrie) $0.7942

13. Karnes County (Karnes) $0.7885

14. Haskell County (Haskell) $0.7803

15. Oldham County (Vega) $0.78

16. Collingsworth County (Wellington) $0.77558

17. Lamb County (Littlefield) $0.7642

18. Atascosa County (Jourdanton) $0.7595

19. Knox County (Benjamin) $0.7566

20. Kinney County (Brackettville) $0.7554

21. Childress County (Childress) $0.754

22. Frio County (Pearsall) $0.753

23. Bailey County (Muleshoe) $0.7446

24. Runnels County (Ballinger) $0.74296

25. Zapata County (Zapata) $0.736096

26. Swisher County (Tulia) $0.71

27. Coleman County (Coleman) $0.7211

28. Dewitt County (Cuer0) $0.72236

29. Zavala County (Crystal City) $0.723206

30. Kenedy County (Sarita) $0.70671

31. Red River County (Clarksville) $0.70473

32. Jasper County (Jasper) $0.7005

NOTE: Texas has 254 counties.

* Rates are based on 2006 rates.

[bonfire]

Do you have the rate for Collin county?

[wolfcreek]

Yes they do. We're a big state and one of the largest economies in the world. We need a FULL TIME representation.

[Ben Ficklin]

I agree with you on the full time representation. Or, at least once a year.

[Rightly Biased]

Kennedy and Karnes counties?? It is said that there is alot of money in those counties but only two families have it all

[Muleteam1]

Collin County appears to have some fiscally responsible County leadership. It is one of Texas' lowest rates and has been so for some time. Here are the rates from 1991 to 2006:

1991 - 0.2209

1992 - 0.26

1993 - 0.26

1994 - 0.26

1995 - 0.26

1996 - 0.26

1997 - 0.26

1998 - 0.25

1999 - 0.25

2000 - 0.25

2001 - 0.25

2002 - 0.25

2003 - 0.25

2004 - 0.25

2005 - 0.25

2006 - 0.245

Source can be found here.

[Muleteam1]

I've been in many Texas counties but can't recall ever even driving through Karnes or Kenedy Counties. There must be someone down there willing to pay those high taxes?

Texas taxes continue to be a mystery to me.

[Clemenza]

Better stay away from the NYC area. You see signs everywhere in Spanish, in Arabic, in Portuguese, in Russian, etc. On the rare occasion that I venture into the local Wal Mart in Princeton, I hear just as much Urdu as I do English.

[Rightly Biased]

Lots of open country in those counties kind of in South Central Texas

IIRC somekind of mining is done in those counties but for the life of me I can’t remember what.

By the looks of some of the residents maybe nose mining.

[Muleteam1]

You made me curious. Apparently they mine uranium down there. Now that’s a new one on me.

[bonfire]

Thanks! Used to live there and want to move back.

[Muleteam1]

>>Tennessee sucks rocks......<<

It's been a lot of years since I visited Tennessee but the Grand Ol' Opry and the horse farms around Murphysboro, were GREAT.

Texans don't believe it! Tennessee is a beautiful State and Texans won't even have to lose their accent or change their music.

[Muleteam1]

My brother-in-law’s grandmother (a McGarrah) was from McKinney in the 1860s. I grew up in deep east Texas but I just can’t take that humidity anymore.

[deport]

Interesting list. From a first glance it appears that several lie south of I-10 and would be rural, low population levels, locations of ranches to include such as the King and Kenedy, etc. Not sure that my obsverations mean anything but rather just ramblings that came to mind looking at the list.

[Muleteam1]

Yes there are a couple of the counties, including my own, that are up here in the Panhandle. Our problem is we have a lot of county roads to maintain and only one small town of about 5,000 people.

[Richard Kimball]

Welcome to Texas. Try H-3 Steak House in Ft. Worth, if you haven't, yet.

[ru4liberty]

[Rightly Biased]

uranium....boogers.....

kinda the same but not...

not much money in boogers I guess.