Texas is the second most popular state in the US, and its population and demographics have changed a lot in the last ten years. The last statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Texas gained almost 4 million people between 2010 and 2020, which is a growth rate of 15.9%, which is higher than the national average of 7.4%.
However, this growth wasn’t the same everywhere in the state. Some places saw fast population growth, while others saw population drops or stayed the same. Additionally, Texas has become more racially and ethnically diverse, with changes in the age structure and types of dwellings.
Growth and Decline in the Population
The difference between cities and rural places is a trend that stands out. Some of the biggest counties, like Dallas and Harris, saw population drops, while urbanized counties like Tarrant, Bexar, and Travis continued to grow. This could be because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made people look for less crowded or cheaper places to live.
On the other hand, counties in the suburbs of big towns like Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, and Williamson saw a lot of population growth. This was due to things like more jobs, lower costs of living, better quality of life, and more space.
Different parts of Texas also had different rates of population growth. Central and North Texas had strong growth, while South and West Texas had slow or negative growth. These differences could be caused by variations in culture, natural resources, economic opportunities, and the weather.
Diversity of Race and Ethnicity
The rise in racial and ethnic variety is another interesting trend. According to the 2020 Census, Texas has almost the same number of Latino and white people. Black, Asian, American Indian, and other ethnic groups come in after them. With the exception of a drop in the white population, these changes show that Texas is more diverse now than it was in 2010.
There are also different amounts of diversity in Texas counties. Some, like Harris County, are much more diverse than others, like King County.
Structure by Age
Changes in the distribution of ages are important. The median age in Texas went up from 33.6 years in 2010 to 35.1 years in 2020. This is younger than the national median age of 38.4 years. However, the number of people aged 65 and up in Texas rose by 46%, which shows that the baby boomer group is getting older. The number under 18 years old, on the other hand, dropped by 1%. This was due to fewer births and more deaths among kids and teens.
Housing Characteristics
The housing market also changed. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of housing units in Texas rose by 11.1%, which was more than the national average. However, the utilization rate went down a little and the vacancy rate went up. Different types and sizes of homes were seen to change, with single-family detached units being the most popular.
In conclusion
In conclusion, Texas’s population has changed a lot in the last ten years. This has had an effect on politics, the economy, schooling, health care, the environment, and culture, among other things. When Texas thinks about the next ten years, it needs to deal with the problems and chances that these changes in population bring.