Boom goes Austin

Austin’s economic growth ranks second in the U.S., according to analysis of the country’s major metro areas by the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business. The study looked at cities’ yearly change in gross domestic product as well as population and total size of their economies. Austin’s 4.3 percent growth rate trailed only San Francisco’s 4.8 percent pace, though Austin’s $216 billion GDP is still dwarfed by the $1.38 trillion economy of the California tech mecca. Other growing Texas cities are Dallas (3.1 percent), San Antonio (2.4 percent) and Houston (1.8 percent). Local leaders can get a close analysis of the Austin economy on Nov. 16 when the Austin Chamber of Commerce presents its annual Economic Outlook luncheon at the JW Marriott hotel downtown. Featured speakers are Texas comptroller Glenn Hegar and Texas A&M University economist Mark Dotzour. Register for the event here.