Houston to overtake Chicago GDP by 2020?

[Calisonn]

Originally Posted by NowInWI

Still trying to wrap my head around why this excites so many of you...as is evidenced by the many threads pertaining to this. I hope that's not what you're living for. Oh my gosh, I just saw that you resurrected an old thread about this. You seem very desperate for this to happen.

I got my popcorn ready

[smashystyle]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

If you combine San Francisco MSA with San Jose MSA you essentially get the San Francisco CSA, and San Francisco CSA still falls short of Chicago, I'm sorry.

San Francisco 388,272
San Jose 196,829

combined 585,101

Chicago MSA GDP = 590,248

I know that Chicago's GDP is higher than SF + SJ now. But SF + SJ's GDP are growing faster and will surpass Chicago soon. My point was that if you are trying to predict what MSA will have the third largest GDP in 2020, it may not be either Chicago or Houston. It might be an expanded SF MSA that includes San Jose.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by smashystyle

I know that Chicago's GDP is higher than SF + SJ now. But SF + SJ's GDP are growing faster and will surpass Chicago soon. My point was that if you are trying to predict what MSA will have the third largest GDP in 2020, it may not be either Chicago or Houston. It might be an expanded SF MSA that includes San Jose.

Perhaps, no one knows what the future holds. However, Houston is still growing faster than the Bay Area. If Houston continues at current trends it may reach 3rd knocking Chicago to 4th or 5th if what you predict actually happens. I don't know the commuting patterns of the bay area, but I know it is a very connected environment.