From the Midwest to the Pacific, job seekers are heading to Texas

FWST ^ | 5-17-09 | STEVE CAMPBELL

[Dysart]

'If you had to ride out this downturn, there is no better place than Texas. The declines here have been nothing compared to other states.’

Across the nation, unemployment is sky-high, the housing market is sucking wind and recessionary fears have frozen Americans in place.

Just don’t tell that to a stream of new residents who are "voting with their feet" that Texas is the safest place to ride out the storm and the place to be when the economy recovers.

For people seeking economic opportunity, Texas is becoming what California has been since the Great Depression, says Los Angeles urbanist and author Joel Kotkin. Texas recently "ran the table" in a recent list of "Best Cities for Jobs" prepared by Kotkin for New Geography and Forbes. Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas were ranked as the top five large metro areas in the country to find a job. If that weren’t enough to get the moving van loaded, McAllen and Odessa top the mid-sized and small city categories, respectively. Among 333 metropolitan areas, Texas has a remarkable 20 in the top 100.

Relocation surveys show that Texas remains a top destination for people leaving other states. Its automobile registrations continue to climb, and the Texas housing market has avoided the double-digit declines other fast-growing states have seen. While the unemployment rate has risen in Texas, it’s nowhere near as high as most of the country, underscoring the state’s economic resiliency even as the downturn deals out its lumps.

"Part of it is a function of the economic collapse of Florida, Phoenix and California. The collapse is still important in Texas, but Texas has had more balanced growth and that’s more sustainable," he said in a telephone interview while navigating an L.A. freeway.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Please can we post a “no liberal scum allowed” sign???

[GOPsterinMA]

Wow...and to think the evil, rotten scourge of the universe, GWB, lives there. Between this and DC taking on the Dems, the Bush/Cheney ticket is doing pretty good these days.

[bgill]

Too late for that sign. They’re already here. Between the libs and the illegals, Texas is fast becoming not so friendly.

[Dysart]

All supporters of free market principles, individual liberty, and any view that tends to agitate against the socialist crusaders are very welcome. Oh, and extra credit for being a Dallas Cowboys fan.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

So true....West Texas may be our last refuge...lots of good conservative folks out there

[Niuhuru]

Well, if you could, try isolating them socially. Don’t let them into decent society.

[yetidog]

As a native Texan now back home after living outside the state for many years, I would rather not see articles like this.

[Dysart]

I don’t now where in Tx you live but I think think that’s an exaggeration. We’re as conservative as anybody on whole, and the more conservative we can attract, the stronger position we’ll be in.

[larryjohnson]

I will visit San Antonio over the Christmas Holiday to look at a couple militry retirement communities. Any advise, besides “don’t leave Maine”?

[Dysart]

Love to but i’m in DFW.