Houston and Beyond

While Houston is the most populous city, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area (Houston MSA), consists of 10 counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Waller. The metro area’s mid-2007 population of 5,628,101 ranks sixth among U.S. metropolitan statistical areas. Houston’s MSA is among the nation’s fastest-growing in the nation. The area grew 25.2 percent between the 1990 and 2000 census – adding more than 950,000 people – while the nation’s population increased 13.2 percent over the same period.

Houston’s consolidated metropolitan statistical area (Houston CMSA) covers 8,778 square miles, an area slightly smaller than Massachusetts but larger than New Jersey. Houston’s altitude is 43 feet above sea level.

If you compare the region to a national economy, only21 countries other than the United States have a gross domestic product exceeding Houston’s regional gross area product, and only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters.

While the energy industry is a strong contributor to the region’s growth, in the last 10 years, the region has diversified its economic base. Industries, such as the services sector, continue to grow, led by gains in professional and business services... more »

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Houston and Beyond