economic boomtown

Prosperous Austin soars onto list of best economic boomtowns in America

Austin is the No. 5 best economic boomtown in America.

Photo by Cosmic Timetraveler on Unsplash

Austin'sbooming prosperity has earned the city an impressive ranking of No. 5 in a new list analyzing the best U.S. cities for economic growth.

The new study, "America's Boomtowns: Top Cities for Economic Growth," from flexible workspace listing provider CoworkingCafe, ranked America's boomtowns based on population growth, GDP, employment rates, and other economic factors. The top cities were divided into three categories: small cities (populations under 250,000); mid-sized cities (populations between 250,000 and 500,00); and large cities (populations over 500,000).

Austin earned a score of 59.9 points in the large city category, tying with Fresno, California, to claim the No. 5 spot.

Mesa, Arizona, climbed through the ranks to become the No. 1 best economic boomtown in America, earning a score of 66 points, followed closely behind by Fort Worth (No. 2). Rounding out the top five were Phoenix, Arizona (No. 3), and Sacramento, California (No. 4).

According to the report, Austin's economic successes can be attributed to a steady increase in housing, and an attraction of major businesses and employers. The Texas Capital experienced the greatest shifts in business applications, with a 41 percent growth rate from 2018 to 2022. Median earnings among residents rose 32 percent within the five-year span.

CoworkingCafe also found Austin's GDP grew by 46 percent from 2018 to 2022, and trade-exports grew 34 percent within the same time period.

Population growth is another major factor that determined Austin's rank, but the report says the city's population only increased one percent from 2018 to 2022. Meanwhile, the city's battle to build more housing resulted in an 11 percent growth in housing units since 2018. Austinites may be surprised to hear these stats sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, since high population and low inventory have shaped the public consciousness. Note that the report does not differentiate affordable and luxury housing, or what percentage are primary residences.

Here's how the study defined Austin's economic "evolution" from 2018 to 2022:

12 percent growth in infrastructure
7 percent growth in crime
5 percent growth in educational attainment
1 percent growth in employment rates
1 percent growth in unemployment rates

Other economic boomtowns in Texas
Fort Worth trailed just two points behind Mesa, Arizona, to claim the title as the second-best economic American boomtown. CoworkingCafe says the city's population grew 7 percent to 957,000 residents in 2022, and the housing sector has grown 11 percent since 2018, the second highest jump in housing across all major cities.

"The rise in housing has not only provided more living spaces but also spurred related economic activities, including construction and real estate development, further contributing to the city’s economic dynamism," the report said.

Dallas ranked just outside the top 10 as the No. 12 large city for economic growth. The report's findings show Dallas struggled to improve its housing sector from 2018 to 2022, only growing by 3 percent. The employment rates during the five-year period stagnated, as did the city's growth in educational attainment.

However, Dallas did have a higher growth in GDP than neighboring Fort Worth, at 33 percent, and the city's median earnings saw a 30 percent evolution during the same time period. Dallas matched Fort Worth's growth in trade-exports and infrastructure.

Landing within the top 25 best large economic boomtowns were El Paso (No. 16) and San Antonio (No. 23).

In the category for the best mid-size cities for economic growth, six Texas cities ranked outside the top 10: Laredo (No. 11), Irving (No. 14), Lubbock (No. 24), Arlington (No. 26), Corpus Christi (No. 31), and Plano (No. 35).

The Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Lewisville landed inside the top 10 in the nationwide category for cities with populations under 250,000, coming in at No. 9. Additional top small cities in the top 25 include Round Rock (No. 15), Abilene (No. 18), Denton (No. 19), Frisco (No. 23), Waco (No. 24), and McKinney (No. 25).

The top 10 (really 11) best large cities for economic growth are:

No. 1 – Mesa, Arizona
No. 2 – Fort Worth, Texas
No. 3 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 4 – Sacramento, California
No. 5 – Austin, Texas and Fresno, California (tied)
No. 6 – Indianapolis, Indiana
No. 7 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 8 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 9 – Kansas City, Missouri
No. 10 – Columbus, Ohio

The full report and its methodology can be found on coworkingcafe.com.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

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