Next Big Texas Metro (Houston, San Antonio: suburbs, property, metro area)

[lawguy25]

Hey all,

Just curious as to what your thoughts were on what the next big Texas metropolitan area/ city will be. Obviously, DFW, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso are excluded as they are already large. But which one of the smaller cities is next in line to become a 500,000 plus metro area? I know Corpus Christi is close, but growing slooooooowly. Tyler, TX seems to be growing fast too, but definitely decades away from 500k. Midland seems to be too isolated and driven by a single industry to grow too much faster, but who knows. What do you think?

[FalconheadWest]

Austin city limits already has almost 800k. With the suburbs, there's around 1.5M.

[DanielWayne]

It's been over 30 years since I've been to the Valley, but from what I have read if you count the entire region, it is over 1,000,000. I would imagine one of the larger towns there (Brownsville or McAllen) would have a chance to catch a population spurt, but even that would take a lot to reach 500,000. As much as I love Corpus, it just doesn't grow.

[HtownLove]

the McAllen metro is already over 700K

[lawguy25]

Sorry I forgot to mention that Austin is already big. Does McAllen have an actual urban center, or is it like a sprawling southwestern desert city? I'd never really thought of the Rio Grande Valley as a big urbanized area, but perhaps I'm wrong. I've never really heard of much big business and wealth down that way, but once again I'm new to TX so I only know about the big and mid-sized cities (except for Midland-Odessa, been there way too many times...).

[Metro Matt]

At ~380,000 people the Golden Triangle of Beaumont/Port Aurthur/Orange is the most likely candidate, but its been losing population the past decade.

[Wonderful Jellal]

McAllen, it's a good destination for hispanics apparently, mostly mexicans.I can see a potential there.And El Paso have a huge potential too, this city is one of the sunniest city in the US so the potential for solar energy is just HUGE

[hellpaso]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

the McAllen metro is already over 700K

McAllen itself is bound on all sides by other cities--however, there is still quite a bit of undeveloped property within the city limits. But you should really look at the RGV as one entity. It's starting to really expand--and it's not just Mexicans. There is a city center in McAllen, it is a city. Sometimes I think people just imagine the valley as a bunch of onion fields, orchards, and colonias. Trust me, there is plenty of wealth down here!

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

At ~380,000 people the Golden Triangle of Beaumont/Port Aurthur/Orange is the most likely candidate, but its been losing population the past decade.

The Killeen Area recently passed up the Golden Triangle; if you throw in the Waco area. That's an additional 230,000+ which equals out to over 600k.

[lawguy25]

I know it's been mentioned, but why isn't Corpus Christi growing fast or already a large city? It sounds like it could be the Miami of Texas with the shore and S.P. Island close-by. Or at the very least San Diego like haha, not in attitude but style and size. It's one city that has always intrigued me, kinda like a unknown area. Probably not as nice as the image I have in my head though.