A study by the website, CoworkingCafe.com, ranks Austin and Fort Worth among the top large cities in the country for economic growth. Austin took first among cities with a population larger than 500,000; Fort Worth was fifth.
The website cites a "remarkable 51% surge" in Austin's gross domestic product from 2019 through 2023 "fueled by rapid job creation in tech, manufacturing and professional services."
The site says median earnings increased 33%, and Austin's gross domestic product grew to $248 billion in 2023. The report says Austin has a diverse economy led by technology companies, state government, education and "creative industries" like film and gaming.
Fort Worth ranked fifth overall and had the largest increase in "educational attainment" of large cities on the list. CoworkingCafe says Texas A&M and TCU expanding research and innovation hubs "elevate the city's human capital."
"Fort Worth combines workforce development with trade expansion — a strategic mix for ongoing prosperity," the site says.
At a bill signing in Fort Worth in June, Governor Greg Abbott said the city is drawing interest from Fortune 500 companies because it can provide an educated workforce.
"This region is the number one region in Texas for higher education enrollment and degree completion that will lead to many of those job openings being filled for business that want to come here and grow here," he said.
Dallas ranked 15th among large cities in the CoworkingCafe survey. A complete list is available here.