Economy of Texas
Encyclopedia
The economy of Texas is one of the largest and most rapidly growing economies in the United States
. In 2011, Texas
is home to six of the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500
list and 51 overall, (third in line after New York with 57 Fortune 500 and then California with 53). Texas has an economy that was the second largest in the nation and the 15th
largest in the world based on GDP (nominal) figures. As the largest exporter of goods in the United States, Texas currently grosses more than $100 billion a year in trade with other nations.
In 2011, Texas had a gross state product
of $1.332 trillion, the second highest in the U.S. Texas's Household income
was $48,259 in 2010 ranking 25th in the nation, which is below the national average, but balances higher, in respect to the lower cost-of-living expenses.
: cattle and bison, cotton, timber, and oil. The first enterprise to enjoy major success in Texas was cattle and bison. In the early days of Anglo-American settlement furs and hides were the major products derived from cattle. Beef was not particularly popular in the United States. However soon Texas entrepreneurs pioneered the beef industry and demand steadily increased. The cattle industry enjoyed its greatest financial success in the later 1870s and 1880s.
Cotton production, which had been known in Texas since Spanish times, gradually increased throughout the 19th century. By the early 20th century Texas had become the leading cotton producer in the nation. By the 1920s the cotton industry was past its peak as government regulation and foreign competition took their toll.
The forests of Texas have been an important resource since its earliest days and have played an important role in the state's history. The vast woodlands of the region, home to many varieties of wildlife when Europeans first arrived, provided major economic opportunities for early settlers. They today continue to play an important role economically and environmentally in the state.
The densest forest lands lie in the eastern part of the state. In particular the Big Thicket
region, just north of Houston and Beaumont
, has historically been home to the most dense woodlands. The Big Thicket was mostly uninhabited until heavy settlement from the U.S. began in the mid-19th century, and was even used as a refuge by runaway slaves and other fugitives. The Rio Grande
valley in South Texas
was home to a large palm tree forest when Spaniards first arrived, though today very little of it remains.
The development of railroads in the eastern part of the state during the mid-19th century led to a boom in lumber production in the 1880s. This era of financial success lasted approximately 50 years finally coming to an end as Texas' forests were decimated and the Great Depression dropped prices.
In 1901 the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company struck oil on Spindletop Hill
in Beaumont
. Though petroleum production was not new, this strike was by far the largest the world had ever seen. The find led to widespread exploration throughout Texas and neighboring states. By 1940 Texas was firmly established as the leading oil producer in the U.S.
Texas remained largely rural until World War II
though the success of the petroleum industry rapidly expanded the economy with heavy industry of many types taking root. The second world war created tremendous demand for petroleum and a variety of products that Texas was in a unique position to provide. By the end of the war Texas was one of the leading industrial states and the population had become predominantly urban. Additionally the economy had diversified sufficiently that, though petroleum was still the largest sector by the end of the war, the business community in the state was truly diverse.
The Texas economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, aerospace, biomedical research, fuel processing, electric power, agriculture
, and manufacturing.
In 2008, for the seventh year in a row, Texas led the United States in export revenues. Texas exports for 2008 totaled $192.2 billion. In 2002, the Port of Houston
was 6th among the top sea ports in the world in terms of total cargo volume; Air Cargo World rated Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
as "the best air cargo airport in the world". The ship channel at the Port of Houston
—the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world.
, Texans' state and local tax burdens are among the lowest in the nation, 7th lowest nationally, with state and local taxes costing $3,580 per capita, or 8.7% of resident incomes. Texas is only one of 7 states to not have a state income tax
. The state sales tax
rate, 6.25%, is above the national medium, with localities adding up to 2% (8.25% total). Texas does have a "back to school" sales tax holiday
once a year (generally around the first weekend in August) on clothing and footwear under $100.
As for Texas's business tax climate, the state ranks 8th in the nation. Property taxes are exclusively collected at the local level in the state, and are generally at rates above the national average. As a whole, Texas is a "tax donor state" with Texans receiving back approximately $0.94 per every dollar of federal income taxes
collected in 2005.
The state sales tax
is set at 6.25 percent. Cities are allowed to impose an additional 1% tax, and additional taxes not to exceed 1% may be approved by voters for any combination of county sales tax, transportation districts, economic development, and/or crime prevention. The average sales tax in Texas amounts to 8.25 percent. The state determines the items subject to sales tax, which all other entities must follow. Motor vehicle sales are subject only to the 6.25% state sales tax. Food, except for prepared food, and non-prescription medicines are among the major items exempt from sales tax.
Property tax
es, however, are among the highest in the nation, and constitute the bulk of revenue for many local governmental entities (but not the state as the Texas Constitution
specifically prohibits a state property tax). For real property, counties, cities, and school districts (along with other special districts, such as for a community college or public hospital) will impose taxes. The property is assessed uniformily throughout the county via the county "appraisal district", and taxes are assessed based on 100% of the property's determined value (which can be somewhat tricky, as Texas does not require the sales price to be disclosed at closing). Larger personal property
items (such as cars, boats, and airplanes) can be subject to tax as well depending on whether a local government has chosen to do so, but is far less common.
(1,200 km²) La Escalera Ranch, located 20 miles (32.2 km) south of Fort Stockton, Texas, is one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwestern United States.
The state also leads nationally in production of sheep and goat products. Texas is king of cotton
leading the nation in cotton production, its leading crop and second-most-valuable farm product. Texas is a leader in cereal
crop production. The state is also a large producer of watermelons, grapefruits, and cantaloupes.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
, the center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is in Houston. It is a leading hub for the Aeronautics industry. The National Space and Biomedical Research Institute is headquartered in Houston.
The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
, located nearly equidistant from downtown
Dallas
and downtown Fort Worth
, is the largest airport in the state, the second largest in the United States, and fourth largest in the world. In terms of traffic, DFW is the busiest in the state, third busiest in the United States, and sixth busiest in the world. The airport serves 135 domestic destinations and 40 international. DFW is the largest and main hub
for American Airlines
, one of the world's largest in terms of total passengers-miles transported and passenger fleet size.
Texas's second-largest air facility is Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport
(IAH). Downtown Houston
has the headquarters of Continental Airlines
, which has Bush Airport as its largest hub. IAH offers service to the most Mexican destinations of any U.S. airport. IAH currently ranks second among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service.
American Airlines
, headquartered in Fort Worth, is the second largest airline in the United States
by number of passengers carried domestically per year; the largest, Southwest Airlines
, is based in Dallas.
's largest facilities (in terms of geographic size), Fort Hood in Central Texas near Killeen and Fort Bliss
near El Paso. In addition, Fort Sam Houston
in San Antonio is home to the Brooke Army Medical Center
, one of the Army's major hospitals and its only burn facility.
The United States Air Force
operates several bases in the state – Sheppard
(Wichita Falls), Dyess
(Abilene), Goodfellow
(San Angelo), Laughlin
(Del Rio), and Lackland
and Randolph
(San Antonio) Ellington Airport, (Houston).
The United States Navy
operates Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
(the former Carswell Air Force Base facility) as well as NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Kingsville.
Two divisions of Lockheed Martin
have their divisional headquarters in the DFW area –
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
in Fort Worth
(where the F-16 Fighting Falcon
, the largest Western fighter program, is manufactured, as well as its successor, the F-35 Lightning II
and the F-22 Raptor
) and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
in Grand Prairie
.
Fort Worth is also the home of Bell Helicopter Textron
, which manufactures several helicopters for the military, including the V-22 and the H-1, on which final assembly is performed in Amarillo
. Furthermore, three major defense service contractors (DynCorp, AECOM
, and Computer Sciences Corporation
) have substantial operations in Fort Worth.
Other major defense contractors with DFW presence include Boeing
(Richardson), Rockwell Collins
(Richardson), Vought Corporation (headquarters in Dallas; facilities in Dallas and Grand Prairie), Raytheon
(plants in Garland, Dallas, and McKinney), L-3 Communications
(plants in Arlington, Carrollton, and Greenville; also has a facility in Waco), BAE Systems
(facility in Fort Worth), DRS Technologies
(Dallas), EDS
and Perot Systems
(Plano), Alliant Techsystems
(facility in Fort Worth), and Elbit Systems
(facility and US headquarters in Fort Worth). The Defense Contract Audit Agency
maintains its Central Region office in Irving.
Outside the DFW area, KBR (the former Halliburton
subsidiary) maintains its headquarters in Houston, while the Southwest Research Institute
is located in San Antonio. BAE Systems also manufactures the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles at its facility in Sealy, Texas
.
Texas is one of the major hubs in the U.S. for development of computer components and systems, as well as software. Austin, Dallas, and Houston are the major centers for this industry in Texas. The Austin area is often nicknamed "Silicon Hills" because of the concentration of semiconductor design
companies. Dell
's headquarters is located in the city's suburb, Round Rock
. Dallas is the birthplace of the integrated circuit
, and by some definitions, the birthplace of the microprocessor. The North Dallas area is called the "Telecom Corridor" for the area's high concentration of Information Technology
companies such as Texas Instruments
and EDS
. In addition, Harris County
-based Compaq
, was once the world's largest computer companies. After Compaq's merger with Hewlett-Packard
, the new owner currently employs more employees in the Houston area, than anywhere else in the world.
Texans consume the most energy in the nation both in per capita and as a whole. Since 2002, Texas has operated under a mostly deregulated
electricity market (however, areas where electricity is provided by either a municipality or a utility cooperative
are not always subject to deregulation).
The known petroleum deposits of Texas are about 8 Goilbbl, which makes up approximately one-third of the known U.S. supply. Texas has 4.6 Goilbbl of proven crude oil
reserves. As wells are depleted in the eastern portions of the state, drilling in state has moved westward.
Several of the major oil companies have headquarters in Texas, including ConocoPhillips
, Marathon Oil
(Houston), Exxon-Mobil (Irving), Tesoro
, and Valero (San Antonio).
Texas is a global leader in the energy industry and Houston is the energy capital of the world. Since 2003, Texas state officials have created various initiatives like the Texas Enterprise Fund
and the Texas Emerging Technology Fund
to develop the economy of Texas. Texas is a leader in alternative energy
sources, producing the most wind power
of any state, as well as small solar powered efforts and the experimental installation of wave-powered generators.
Texas also is home to many of the world's largest oilfield services firms including Halliburton
, Schlumberger
and Dresser
. The state has a number of pipeline operators, such as El Paso
and Dynegy
, along with diversified energy firms such as TXU
and Reliant Energy
.
Texas has a large tourism industry. The state tourism slogan is "Texas: It's like a whole other country." Tourists might enjoy San Antonio and El Paso
's Hispanic culture, or Fort Worth western attractions. Galveston
, Corpus Christi
, and Padre Island
are some of the popular Texas resort areas located on the Gulf of Mexico
. Houston is Texas' leading convention city. Dallas is also one of the nation's leading convention cities. Professional and college sports are dominant in both Dallas and Houston.
is now one of the leading filmmaking locations in the country. The exteriors for the popular soap opera Dallas
were filmed on Southfork Ranch
, a location near Plano, Texas
. From 1995 to 2004, more than $2.75 billion was spent in Texas for film and television production.
The Texas Film Commission
was founded for free services to filmmakers, from location research to traveling. Also many Hollywood
studios are relocating parts of their production divisions to the Austin and Dallas areas.
The media conglomerate Clear Channel Communications
is based in San Antonio, Texas. Pi Studios
and Timegate Studios
are based in the Houston area. Blockbuster Video and Cinemark Theatres
are also based in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
, located in southwest Houston, is the largest medical center in the world. It is home to The University of Texas Health Science Center which trains medical students and residents and includes The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, a global leader of cancer research and treatment. The medical complex also hosts a private medical college, The Baylor College of Medicine
.
The University of Texas medical system has additional branches in Dallas, San Antonio, and Galveston. The South Texas Medical Center
in San Antonio with nearly 27,000 employees has a $14.3 Billion economic impact on the state of Texas. In addition to these facilities, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Texas A&M Health Science Center,, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and El Paso provide the state with a total of nine centers of medical research.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2011, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
is home to six of the top 50 companies on the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
list and 51 overall, (third in line after New York with 57 Fortune 500 and then California with 53). Texas has an economy that was the second largest in the nation and the 15th
Comparison between U.S. states and countries by GDP (PPP)
This is a comparison between U.S. states and countries by Gross Domestic Product . Many of the states of the United States have large Gross Domestic Product which would rank highly on a list of countries world GDP...
largest in the world based on GDP (nominal) figures. As the largest exporter of goods in the United States, Texas currently grosses more than $100 billion a year in trade with other nations.
In 2011, Texas had a gross state product
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
of $1.332 trillion, the second highest in the U.S. Texas's Household income
Household income in the United States
Household income is a measure commonly used by the United States government and private institutions, that counts the income of all residents over the age of 18 in each household, including not only all wages and salaries, but such items as unemployment insurance, disability payments, child support...
was $48,259 in 2010 ranking 25th in the nation, which is below the national average, but balances higher, in respect to the lower cost-of-living expenses.
History
Historically four major business enterprises shaped the Texas economy prior to World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
: cattle and bison, cotton, timber, and oil. The first enterprise to enjoy major success in Texas was cattle and bison. In the early days of Anglo-American settlement furs and hides were the major products derived from cattle. Beef was not particularly popular in the United States. However soon Texas entrepreneurs pioneered the beef industry and demand steadily increased. The cattle industry enjoyed its greatest financial success in the later 1870s and 1880s.
Cotton production, which had been known in Texas since Spanish times, gradually increased throughout the 19th century. By the early 20th century Texas had become the leading cotton producer in the nation. By the 1920s the cotton industry was past its peak as government regulation and foreign competition took their toll.
The forests of Texas have been an important resource since its earliest days and have played an important role in the state's history. The vast woodlands of the region, home to many varieties of wildlife when Europeans first arrived, provided major economic opportunities for early settlers. They today continue to play an important role economically and environmentally in the state.
The densest forest lands lie in the eastern part of the state. In particular the Big Thicket
Big Thicket
The Big Thicket is the name of a heavily forested area in Southeast Texas. While no exact boundaries exist, the area occupies much of Hardin County, Liberty, Tyler, San Jacinto, and Polk Counties and is roughly bounded by the San Jacinto River, Neches River, and Pine Island Bayou. To the north, it...
region, just north of Houston and Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, has historically been home to the most dense woodlands. The Big Thicket was mostly uninhabited until heavy settlement from the U.S. began in the mid-19th century, and was even used as a refuge by runaway slaves and other fugitives. The Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
valley in South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
was home to a large palm tree forest when Spaniards first arrived, though today very little of it remains.
The development of railroads in the eastern part of the state during the mid-19th century led to a boom in lumber production in the 1880s. This era of financial success lasted approximately 50 years finally coming to an end as Texas' forests were decimated and the Great Depression dropped prices.
In 1901 the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company struck oil on Spindletop Hill
Spindletop
Spindletop is a salt dome oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont, Texas in the United States. The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil . The new oil field soon produced...
in Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. Though petroleum production was not new, this strike was by far the largest the world had ever seen. The find led to widespread exploration throughout Texas and neighboring states. By 1940 Texas was firmly established as the leading oil producer in the U.S.
Texas remained largely rural until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
though the success of the petroleum industry rapidly expanded the economy with heavy industry of many types taking root. The second world war created tremendous demand for petroleum and a variety of products that Texas was in a unique position to provide. By the end of the war Texas was one of the leading industrial states and the population had become predominantly urban. Additionally the economy had diversified sufficiently that, though petroleum was still the largest sector by the end of the war, the business community in the state was truly diverse.
The Texas economy today relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, aerospace, biomedical research, fuel processing, electric power, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, and manufacturing.
Exports
Port of Houston
The Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
was 6th among the top sea ports in the world in terms of total cargo volume; Air Cargo World rated Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
as "the best air cargo airport in the world". The ship channel at the Port of Houston
Port of Houston
The Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
—the largest in the U.S. in international commerce and the sixth-largest port in the world.
Taxes
According to the Tax FoundationTax Foundation
The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...
, Texans' state and local tax burdens are among the lowest in the nation, 7th lowest nationally, with state and local taxes costing $3,580 per capita, or 8.7% of resident incomes. Texas is only one of 7 states to not have a state income tax
State income tax
State and local income taxes are imposed in addition to Federal income tax. State income tax is allowed as a deduction in computing Federal income tax, subject to limitations for individuals. Some localities impose an income tax, often based on state income tax calculations. Forty-three states...
. The state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
rate, 6.25%, is above the national medium, with localities adding up to 2% (8.25% total). Texas does have a "back to school" sales tax holiday
Tax holiday
A tax holiday is a temporary reduction or elimination of a tax. Programs may be referred to as tax abatements, tax subsidies, tax holidays, or tax reduction programs. Governments usually create tax holidays as incentives for business investment...
once a year (generally around the first weekend in August) on clothing and footwear under $100.
As for Texas's business tax climate, the state ranks 8th in the nation. Property taxes are exclusively collected at the local level in the state, and are generally at rates above the national average. As a whole, Texas is a "tax donor state" with Texans receiving back approximately $0.94 per every dollar of federal income taxes
Income tax in the United States
In the United States, a tax is imposed on income by the Federal, most states, and many local governments. The income tax is determined by applying a tax rate, which may increase as income increases, to taxable income as defined. Individuals and corporations are directly taxable, and estates and...
collected in 2005.
Tax burden
Texas is one of the nine states of the United States with no personal state income tax. In addition, Texas does not allow any lower level of government (counties, cities, etc.) to impose an income tax. This means that, for the residents of Texas, the maximum rate of income taxation is the top rate set by the US Government. Businesses, except for sole proprietorships and partnerships, are subject to a gross margins tax.The state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
is set at 6.25 percent. Cities are allowed to impose an additional 1% tax, and additional taxes not to exceed 1% may be approved by voters for any combination of county sales tax, transportation districts, economic development, and/or crime prevention. The average sales tax in Texas amounts to 8.25 percent. The state determines the items subject to sales tax, which all other entities must follow. Motor vehicle sales are subject only to the 6.25% state sales tax. Food, except for prepared food, and non-prescription medicines are among the major items exempt from sales tax.
Property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
es, however, are among the highest in the nation, and constitute the bulk of revenue for many local governmental entities (but not the state as the Texas Constitution
Texas Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Texas is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Texas.Texas has had seven constitutions: the constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, the state constitutions of 1845,...
specifically prohibits a state property tax). For real property, counties, cities, and school districts (along with other special districts, such as for a community college or public hospital) will impose taxes. The property is assessed uniformily throughout the county via the county "appraisal district", and taxes are assessed based on 100% of the property's determined value (which can be somewhat tricky, as Texas does not require the sales price to be disclosed at closing). Larger personal property
Personal property
Personal property, roughly speaking, is private property that is moveable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables - any...
items (such as cars, boats, and airplanes) can be subject to tax as well depending on whether a local government has chosen to do so, but is far less common.
Agriculture
Texas is a productive agricultural state with the most farms both in number and acreage in the United States. Texas leads the nation in number of cattle, usually exceeding 16 million head. The sprawling 320,000 deeded acreAcre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
(1,200 km²) La Escalera Ranch, located 20 miles (32.2 km) south of Fort Stockton, Texas, is one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwestern United States.
The state also leads nationally in production of sheep and goat products. Texas is king of cotton
King Cotton
King Cotton was a slogan used by southerners to support secession from the United States by arguing cotton exports would make an independent Confederacy economically prosperous, and—more important—would force Great Britain and France to support the Confederacy because their industrial economy...
leading the nation in cotton production, its leading crop and second-most-valuable farm product. Texas is a leader in cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
crop production. The state is also a large producer of watermelons, grapefruits, and cantaloupes.
Aeronautics
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...
, the center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is in Houston. It is a leading hub for the Aeronautics industry. The National Space and Biomedical Research Institute is headquartered in Houston.
The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
, located nearly equidistant from downtown
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and downtown Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, is the largest airport in the state, the second largest in the United States, and fourth largest in the world. In terms of traffic, DFW is the busiest in the state, third busiest in the United States, and sixth busiest in the world. The airport serves 135 domestic destinations and 40 international. DFW is the largest and main hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, one of the world's largest in terms of total passengers-miles transported and passenger fleet size.
Texas's second-largest air facility is Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
(IAH). Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
has the headquarters of Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
, which has Bush Airport as its largest hub. IAH offers service to the most Mexican destinations of any U.S. airport. IAH currently ranks second among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, headquartered in Fort Worth, is the second largest airline in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by number of passengers carried domestically per year; the largest, Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, is based in Dallas.
Military facilities
Texas is home to two of the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's largest facilities (in terms of geographic size), Fort Hood in Central Texas near Killeen and Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
near El Paso. In addition, Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
in San Antonio is home to the Brooke Army Medical Center
Brooke Army Medical Center
Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio is part of the United States Army Medical Command. It is a University of Texas Health Science Center and USUHS teaching hospital and contains the Army Burn Center....
, one of the Army's major hospitals and its only burn facility.
The United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
operates several bases in the state – Sheppard
Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command...
(Wichita Falls), Dyess
Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
(Abilene), Goodfellow
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base is a non-flying United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas. As part of Air Education & Training Command , Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Military firefighters are also...
(San Angelo), Laughlin
Laughlin Air Force Base
Laughlin Air Force Base is a facility of the United States Air Force located five miles east of the central business district of Del Rio, Texas.-Overview:...
(Del Rio), and Lackland
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
and Randolph
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
(San Antonio) Ellington Airport, (Houston).
The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
operates Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base or NAS Fort Worth JRB includes Carswell Field, a military airfield located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military airfield is operated by United States Navy...
(the former Carswell Air Force Base facility) as well as NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Kingsville.
Defense contracting
Texas (specifically Dallas and Houston) has a large number of defense contractors which creates sizable employment for the state.Two divisions of Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
have their divisional headquarters in the DFW area –
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is a major unit of Lockheed Martin with headquarters at Fort Worth, Texas.Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is also based in Marietta, Georgia and Palmdale, California. Palmdale is home to the Advanced Development Programs , informally known as the "Skunk Works"...
in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
(where the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, the largest Western fighter program, is manufactured, as well as its successor, the F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
and the F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
) and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control is a Lockheed Martin business unit based in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie, Texas. The unit's offensive and defensive arsenal includes air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, naval rockets and missiles, fire control and sensor systems, fire support...
in Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
.
Fort Worth is also the home of Bell Helicopter Textron
Bell Helicopter Textron
Bell Helicopter is an American rotorcraft manufacturer headquartered in Hurst, Texas, near Fort Worth. A division of Textron, Bell manufactures military helicopter and tiltrotor products in and around Fort Worth, as well as in Amarillo, Texas, and commercial rotorcraft products in Mirabel, Quebec,...
, which manufactures several helicopters for the military, including the V-22 and the H-1, on which final assembly is performed in Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
. Furthermore, three major defense service contractors (DynCorp, AECOM
AECOM
AECOM Technology Corporation is a professional technical and management support services firm. The company is ranked as the number one design firm for 2010 and 2011 by Engineering News-Record and number one by Architectural Record. It provides services in the areas of transportation, planning,...
, and Computer Sciences Corporation
Computer Sciences Corporation
Computer Sciences Corporation is an American information technology and business services company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, USA...
) have substantial operations in Fort Worth.
Other major defense contractors with DFW presence include Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
(Richardson), Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
(Richardson), Vought Corporation (headquarters in Dallas; facilities in Dallas and Grand Prairie), Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
(plants in Garland, Dallas, and McKinney), L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. is a company that supplies command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training devices and services, instrumentation, space, and navigation products. Its customers include...
(plants in Arlington, Carrollton, and Greenville; also has a facility in Waco), BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
(facility in Fort Worth), DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies
DRS Technologies, Inc. is a US-based defense contractor. Previously traded on the NYSE, the company was purchased by the Italian firm Finmeccanica in October 2008.-History:...
(Dallas), EDS
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
and Perot Systems
Perot Systems
Perot Systems was an information technology services provider founded in 1988 by a group of investors led by Ross Perot and based in Plano, Texas, United States. A Fortune 1000 corporation with offices in more than 25 countries, Perot Systems employed more than 23,000 people and had an annual...
(Plano), Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
(facility in Fort Worth), and Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems Ltd. is one of the world's largest defense electronics manufacturers and integrators. Established in 1967, and based in Haifa, Israel, Elbit employs 11,000 people worldwide....
(facility and US headquarters in Fort Worth). The Defense Contract Audit Agency
Defense Contract Audit Agency
The Defense Contract Audit Agency , under the authority, direction, and control of the United States Under Secretary of Defense , is responsible for performing all contract audits for the United States Department of Defense , and providing accounting and financial advisory services regarding...
maintains its Central Region office in Irving.
Outside the DFW area, KBR (the former Halliburton
Halliburton
Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
subsidiary) maintains its headquarters in Houston, while the Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute , headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the oldest and largest independent, nonprofit, applied research and development organizations in the United States...
is located in San Antonio. BAE Systems also manufactures the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles at its facility in Sealy, Texas
Sealy, Texas
Sealy is a city in Austin County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 5,248 at the 2000 census. Sealy is located 50 miles west of the downtown Houston area.-Geography:...
.
Computer technology
Semiconductor industry
The semiconductor industry is the aggregate collection of companies engaged in the design and fabrication of semiconductor devices. It formed around 1960, once the fabrication of semiconductors became a viable business...
companies. Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
's headquarters is located in the city's suburb, Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the metropolitan area. The 2010 census places the population at 99,887....
. Dallas is the birthplace of the integrated circuit
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
, and by some definitions, the birthplace of the microprocessor. The North Dallas area is called the "Telecom Corridor" for the area's high concentration of Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
companies such as Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
and EDS
Electronic Data Systems
HP Enterprise Services is the global business and technology services division of Hewlett Packard's HP Enterprise Business strategic business unit. It was formed by the combination of HP's legacy services consulting and outsourcing business and the integration of acquired Electronic Data Systems,...
. In addition, Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
-based Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
, was once the world's largest computer companies. After Compaq's merger with Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, the new owner currently employs more employees in the Houston area, than anywhere else in the world.
Energy
Texans consume the most energy in the nation both in per capita and as a whole. Since 2002, Texas has operated under a mostly deregulated
Deregulation of the Texas Electricity Market
Electricity deregulation in Texas was the result of the coming into force of Texas Senate Bill 7 on January 1, 2002. According to the law, deregulation is to be phased in over several years....
electricity market (however, areas where electricity is provided by either a municipality or a utility cooperative
Utility cooperative
A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members...
are not always subject to deregulation).
The known petroleum deposits of Texas are about 8 Goilbbl, which makes up approximately one-third of the known U.S. supply. Texas has 4.6 Goilbbl of proven crude oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
reserves. As wells are depleted in the eastern portions of the state, drilling in state has moved westward.
Several of the major oil companies have headquarters in Texas, including ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas in the United States...
, Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway,...
(Houston), Exxon-Mobil (Irving), Tesoro
Tesoro
Tesoro Corporation is a Fortune 100 and a Fortune Global 500 company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with 2008 annual revenues of $28.3 billion, and approximately 5,600 employees....
, and Valero (San Antonio).
Texas is a global leader in the energy industry and Houston is the energy capital of the world. Since 2003, Texas state officials have created various initiatives like the Texas Enterprise Fund
Texas Enterprise Fund
The Texas Enterprise Fund is a business incentive fund that was created by legislation in 2003. The fund, which had an initial $295 million investment, is used for ensuring the growth of business in Texas...
and the Texas Emerging Technology Fund
Texas Emerging Technology Fund
The Texas Emerging Technology Fund is a technology investment fund created by legislation in 2005 at the urging of Governor Rick Perry to provide Texas with an unparalleled advantage in the research, development, and commercialization of emerging technologies...
to develop the economy of Texas. Texas is a leader in alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
sources, producing the most wind power
Wind power in Texas
Wind power in Texas consists of many wind farms with a total installed nameplate capacity of 10,223 MW from over 40 different projects. Texas produces the most wind power of any U.S. state, followed by Iowa with 3,708 MW...
of any state, as well as small solar powered efforts and the experimental installation of wave-powered generators.
Texas also is home to many of the world's largest oilfield services firms including Halliburton
Halliburton
Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
, Schlumberger
Schlumberger
Schlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
and Dresser
Dresser Industries
Dresser Industries was a multinational corporation headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States, which provided a wide range of technology, products, and services used for developing energy and natural resources...
. The state has a number of pipeline operators, such as El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
and Dynegy
Dynegy
Dynegy Inc. , based in Houston, Texas, United States, is a large owner and operator of power plants and a player in the natural gas liquids and coal business...
, along with diversified energy firms such as TXU
TXU
Energy Future Holdings Corporation is an electric utility company headquartered in Energy Plaza in Downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The company was known as TXU until its $45 billion leveraged buyout by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Texas Pacific Group and Goldman Sachs...
and Reliant Energy
Reliant Energy
RRI Energy, Inc. , based in Houston, Texas, United States, was an energy company that provided electricity to wholesale customers in the United States. The company was one of the largest independent power producers in the nation with more than 14,000 megawatts of power generation capacity across...
.
Tourism
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
's Hispanic culture, or Fort Worth western attractions. Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, and Padre Island
Padre Island
Padre Island is part of the U.S. state of Texas. The island is located on Texas' southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is famous for its white sandy beaches at the south end...
are some of the popular Texas resort areas located on the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Houston is Texas' leading convention city. Dallas is also one of the nation's leading convention cities. Professional and college sports are dominant in both Dallas and Houston.
Entertainment
Texas is a top filmmaking state. AustinAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
is now one of the leading filmmaking locations in the country. The exteriors for the popular soap opera Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
were filmed on Southfork Ranch
Southfork Ranch
Southfork Ranch is a conference and event center located near Plano, Texas; it contains the Ewing Mansion, which was the setting for the 1978 - 1991 television series Dallas. The ranch is located at 3700 Hogge Drive in Parker, Texas.-History:...
, a location near Plano, Texas
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
. From 1995 to 2004, more than $2.75 billion was spent in Texas for film and television production.
The Texas Film Commission
Texas Film Commission
The Texas Film Commission is a state agency of Texas, under the oversight of the Governor of Texas. Its headquarters are in Suite 3.410 in the Texas Insurance Building in Downtown Austin.-External links:*...
was founded for free services to filmmakers, from location research to traveling. Also many Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
studios are relocating parts of their production divisions to the Austin and Dallas areas.
The media conglomerate Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
is based in San Antonio, Texas. Pi Studios
Pi Studios
Pi Studios is a computer game software developer founded in 2002 by Robert Erwin, John Faulkenbury, Rob Heironimus, Dan Kramer and Peter Mack whose first commercial work can be found in Activision's Call of Duty: United Offensive...
and Timegate Studios
TimeGate Studios
TimeGate Studios is an American video game developer based in Sugar Land, Texas . The company, which was founded in 1998, has released eight titles to this date.-Company history:...
are based in the Houston area. Blockbuster Video and Cinemark Theatres
Cinemark Theatres
Cinemark Theatres is a chain of movie theatres owned by Cinemark Holdings, Inc. in North and South America and Taiwan. It has its headquarters in Plano, Texas.Cinemark's Missions Statement Reads as follows:...
are also based in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a growing industry in the state of Texas. The Texas Medical CenterTexas Medical Center
The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...
, located in southwest Houston, is the largest medical center in the world. It is home to The University of Texas Health Science Center which trains medical students and residents and includes The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, a global leader of cancer research and treatment. The medical complex also hosts a private medical college, The Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine, located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, USA, is a highly regarded medical school and leading center for biomedical research and clinical care...
.
The University of Texas medical system has additional branches in Dallas, San Antonio, and Galveston. The South Texas Medical Center
South Texas Medical Center
The South Texas Medical Center consists of of medical-related facilities in northwest San Antonio.The STMC, which directly serves 38 counties, consists of forty-five medically related institutions; separate medical, dental and nursing schools, five higher educational institutions, twelve...
in San Antonio with nearly 27,000 employees has a $14.3 Billion economic impact on the state of Texas. In addition to these facilities, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Texas A&M Health Science Center,, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and El Paso provide the state with a total of nine centers of medical research.
Wealthiest places in Texas
See complete list of Texas locations by per capita incomeTexas locations by per capita income
Texas is the thirty-second richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $19,617 .-Texas counties ranked by per capita income:...
- Barton CreekBarton Creek, TexasBarton Creek is a census-designated place in Travis County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 1,589....
CDP, Texas $110,504 - Piney Point VillagePiney Point Village, TexasPiney Point Village is a city in Harris County, Texas. The population was 3,380 at the 2000 census. Piney Point Village is also considered one of the wealthiest communities in the Greater Houston area.-History:...
city, Texas $97,247 - Highland ParkHighland Park, TexasHighland Park is a town in central Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,842 at the 2000 census. Located between the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Route 75 , four miles north of downtown Dallas....
town, Texas $97,008 - Hunters Creek VillageHunters Creek Village, TexasHunters Creek Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,374 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Hunters Creek Village addresses; "Hunters Creek Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in...
city, Texas $88,821 - Bunker Hill VillageBunker Hill Village, TexasBunker Hill Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,654 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Bunker Hill Village addresses; "Bunker Hill Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in Bunker...
city, Texas $86,434 - Hill Country VillageHill Country Village, TexasHill Country Village is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,028 at the 2000 census. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
city, Texas $77,374 - MustangMustang, TexasMustang is a town in Navarro County, Texas, United States. The population was 47 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mustang is located at...
town, Texas $75,692 - West University PlaceWest University Place, TexasWest University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of the city was 14,211...
city, Texas $69,674 - Hilshire VillageHilshire Village, TexasHilshire Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 720 at the 2000 census. The city is the smallest of the Memorial Villages in terms of area....
city, Texas $66,620 - Olmos ParkOlmos Park, TexasOlmos Park is a city located within San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,343 at the 2000 census. The city is the second wealthiest location in the San Antonio metropolitan area after Hill Country Village.- Government :...
city, Texas $65,697 - University ParkUniversity Park, TexasUniversity Park is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States, and a inner suburb of Dallas. The population was 23,324 at the 2000 census. The city is home to Southern Methodist University. Like its neighbor, Highland Park, it is a city partially surrounded by the municipality of Dallas...
city, Texas $63,414 - The HillsThe Hills, TexasThe Hills is a village in Travis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,492 at the 2000 census, it was 1,998 in the 2005 census estimate.-Geography:The Hills is located at , 16 miles west of downtown Austin....
village, Texas $61,363 - Southside PlaceSouthside Place, TexasSouthside Place is a city in west central Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,546 at the 2000 census.As of 2000, Southside Place is the 13th wealthiest location in Texas by per capita income....
city, Texas $57,021 - West Lake HillsWest Lake Hills, TexasWest Lake Hills is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,116 at the 2000 census, and 3,021 in the 2005 census estimate. The city of West lake Hills is a relatively wealthy suburb of Austin, located on the west side of Austin on the edge of the Hill Country...
city, Texas $55,651 - Onion CreekOnion Creek, TexasOnion Creek is a former census-designated place in Travis County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,116 at the 2000 census. The area is now part of the city of Austin....
CDP, Texas $54,758 - Tiki IslandTiki Island, TexasTiki Island is a village in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,016 at the 2000 census.-History and government:Tiki Island was incorporated as a village on August 30, 1982. It has a full time police department and volunteer fire department...
village, Texas $54,611 - ParkerParker, TexasParker is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,379 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Parker is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land...
city, Texas $54,099 - Lakeshore Gardens-Hidden AcresLakeshore Gardens-Hidden Acres, TexasLakeshore Gardens-Hidden Acres is a census-designated place in San Patricio County, Texas, United States. The population was 720 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lakeshore Gardens-Hidden Acres is located at...
CDP, Texas $52,512 - RollingwoodRollingwood, TexasRollingwood is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. Part of the metropolitan area the population was 1,403 at the 2000 census; it was 1,359 in the 2005 census estimate.-Geography:...
city, Texas $52,280 - Hedwig VillageHedwig Village, TexasHedwig Village is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census.The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" for all Hedwig Village addresses; "Hedwig Village" is not an acceptable city designation for mail addressed to places in Hedwig...
city, Texas $52,153 - Lost CreekLost Creek, TexasLost Creek is a census-designated place in Travis County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,729 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lost Creek is located at , 7 miles west of downtown Austin....
CDP, Texas $52,147 - HeathHeath, TexasHeath is a city in Rockwall and Kaufman Counties, Texas, United States. The population was 4,149 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.-Geography:Heath is located at ....
city, Texas $51,049 - ColleyvilleColleyville, TexasColleyville is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census. Emerging from a number of small, rural settlements along the Cotton Belt Route, Colleyville was established in the...
city, Texas $50,418 - Shavano ParkShavano Park, TexasShavano Park is a city located in Bexar County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census the population was 1,754. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
city, Texas $47,705 - SouthlakeSouthlake, TexasSouthlake is a city in northeast Tarrant and southeast Denton counties, Texas. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 26,575. A suburb of Fort Worth and Dallas, Southlake is known for exemplary public schools, Southlake Town Square, and Carroll High School's 7-time state champion football...
city, Texas $47,597 - BellaireBellaire, TexasBellaire is a city in southwest Harris County, Texas, United States, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place....
city, Texas $46,674 - LakewayLakeway, TexasLakeway is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,391 at the 2010 census; up from 8,002 in 2000. The city is located near Lake Travis.-Geography:...
city, Texas $45,765 - Ransom CanyonRansom Canyon, TexasRansom Canyon is a town in Lubbock County of West Texas, United States. The population was 1,011 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area....
town, Texas $45,675 - Alamo HeightsAlamo Heights, TexasAlamo Heights is an incorporated town that is completely surrounded by the City of San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, this town's population was just 7,319, and 7,477 by 2009. However, its location as an enclave in San Antonio causes it to be a part of the...
city, Texas $45,640 - GreatwoodGreatwood, TexasGreatwood is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Sugar Land within Fort Bend County, Texas...
CDP, Texas $45,609
See also
- Texas locations by per capita incomeTexas locations by per capita incomeTexas is the thirty-second richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $19,617 .-Texas counties ranked by per capita income:...
- Texas wineTexas wineTexas has a long history of wine production. The sunny and dry climate of the major wine making regions in the state have drawn comparison to Portuguese wines. Some of the earliest recorded Texas wines were produced by Spanish missionaries in the 1650s near El Paso...
- World economyWorld economyThe world economy, or global economy, generally refers to the economy, which is based on economies of all of the world's countries, national economies. Also global economy can be seen as the economy of global society and national economies – as economies of local societies, making the global one....
- Texas Companies
- :Category:Economies by country
- :Category:Economies by region
- Comparison between U.S. states and countries by GDP (PPP)Comparison between U.S. states and countries by GDP (PPP)This is a comparison between U.S. states and countries by Gross Domestic Product . Many of the states of the United States have large Gross Domestic Product which would rank highly on a list of countries world GDP...
External links
- the official State of Texas website
- BEA news release on 2005 gross state product
- State of Texas economic development
- Window on State Government, Susan Combs - Texas Comptroller
- Texas Lyceum Journal: “Harnessing the Lightning: Economic Growth Opportunities for Texas”