Austin was the nation’s second-fastest-growing metropolitan area between 2007 and 2008, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The population in the Austin-Round Rock area grew 3.8 percent to 1.65 million between July 2007 and July 2008. Among major U.S. metros, that growth rate was second only to Raleigh-Cary, N.C., which experienced a 4.3 percent population uptick during the 12-month period.
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Texas continues its trend of weathering the recession better than most other states. The state’s major metros top the nation in home price appreciation over the last year.
Austin–Round Rock leads the country’s largest core-based statistical areas (CBSA) in home price appreciation with a 3.7 percent increase in 2008, according to First American CoreLogic.
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Forbes magazines has compiled a list of cities where $500,000 will still buy an exceedingly comfortable lifestyle.
To choose these 10 locations, Forbes examined the cost of the typical four-bedroom, two-bathroom, and 2,200-square-foot home. They also factored in the amount of patent and venture capital activity, average commute, and an average cost of living below $100,000.
The top cities were:
- Irvine, Calif.
- Raleigh, N.C.
- Bellevue, Wash.
- Portland, Ore.
- Sunnyvale, Calif.
- Redmond, Wash.
- Austin, Texas
- Chandler, Ariz.
- Rochester, N.Y.
- Plano, Texas
Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey
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Texas' four major metros are among the 25 U.S. cities that boasted the most Energy Star–certified buildings last year.
Houston had 145 such buildings, the most of any Texas city, ranking it third on the list, which was compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dallas–Fort Worth ranked fifth with 126 buildlings.
Austin, with 77 buildings, ranked 13th, and San Antonio, with 56, ranked 16th.
In 2008, more than 3,300 commercial buildings and manufacturing plants nationwide earned the Energy Star, representing savings of more than $1 billion in utility bills and more than seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. These buildings include schools, hospitals, office buildings, courthouses, grocery stores, retail centers and auto assembly plants.
According to the EPA, the energy efficient buildings in Texas' four large metros resulted in a total savings of $130.7 million. The emissions savings were equivalent to the electricity used by 109,000 households.
The EPA's complete list is available online.
Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, EPA |
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Five Texas cities swept the top spots on Builder magazine’s list of “Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009.”
Houston ranked first, Austin second, Fort Worth third, San Antonio fourth and Dallas fifth.
Rounding out the top ten were Raleigh, N.C., Seattle, Indianapolis, Ind., Fayetteville, Ark., and Washington D.C.
To compile the list, Builder analyzed the top 75 housing markets in the country, ranking them based on population trends and job growth, perennial drivers of housing demand. They also looked at home prices and the number of building permits.
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For the fourth year in a row, Round Rock has been named among the top 20 safest cities in the United States, coming in at No. 19 on a list by CQ Press, an independent publishing company.
The rankings of 397 cities with populations of at least 75,000 residents were calculated by using crime statistics in six categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft.
Round Rock was No. 13 in 2006 and 2007 and eighth in 2005, the city said.
"Round Rock has ranked among America's safest cities ever since we reached 75,000 in population and became eligible for the survey — and that's not just coincidence," Mayor Alan McGraw said in a news release. "Our citizens demand the best in public safety, and our Police Department delivers. I can't say enough about the great job our law enforcement officers do to keep this community safe."
Of the 356 metropolitan areas that reported crime data in the six categories, Austin-Round Rock ranked fifth among areas with a population of 500,000 or more.
Thursday, December 04, 2008, statesman.com |
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