Texas State is the 2nd largest State in America by both population and land area. Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836 after being colonized in the 18th century by the Spanish. With a sturdy economic growth engine, Texas is still growing and increasingly diverse in its population since it becomes a state. Anchored by the cities of San Antonio and Austin, the central Texas region, over the past ten to twenty years, has been experiencing rapid growth. Texas has the fastest-growing population, and its political aspects are expected to change in the next decade because of the ethnic and racial makeup of Texas State.
Population growth generally assists drive economic growth. The last decade has been a time of growth for Texas. It makes up 8.9 percent of the U.S. total population. The State is expected to add about 10 million more individuals by 2030, increasing its population to 30 million. Other studies reveal that, in 2019, Texas’ total population was estimated at a 29million by the Census Bureau, and it is projected to rise to approximately a 47.3million by 2050 (Turner, Ani, et al., 10). Unlike many other states, Texas is growing fast, and its young population is growing as well, i.e., out of every ten individuals under 18 in America lives in Texas. The demographic profile of Texas is projected to change significantly as people of color (POC) make up 95 percent of the State’s population growth. The increasingly diverse population is expected to draw the government’s attention to respond effectively to this rapid population increase, transform the economy and redefine Texas’s current political system.
Texas State is a one-party state for many years. For more than 50 years, Republican Party has dominated the Texas’s political landscape. Moreover, many polls have been indicating that the changing demographics could turn Texas politically to purple due to the rapid growth of the minority population. Additionally, the recent electoral results have been suggesting that the political party dominance is changing, particularly towards the Democratic Party (Serwer). Population changes in Texas are bringing more political, religious and racial diversity within the State. The Latino population has begun to favor several policies that favor their community and continue to play a critical role in Texas political landscape. The white (non-Hispanic) account for the highest number of people in the Texas population, which means they will have a great impact in turning Texas purple (Serwer). Texas remains the largest State with the 2nd most Electoral College votes in the U.S., thus, its politics has national political implications, including presidential elections. It is a Lone Star State with a growing Hispanic population and shrinking white population. However, despite the changing demographic profile of the State, the future of the State’s politics remains uncertain in the future.
The Texas economy has been booming in the last two decades due to the oil and gas sector in the State. It remains the largest oil and gas producer in America. Typically, the State’s oil and gas sector continues to play a significant role in Texas’s economy in terms of employment and GDP despite the State economy being more diversified over the past several decades. Despite the State’s economic stability, the citizens of Texas are still living below average and the wealth does not reflect in their lives. Most people working in the State earn minimum wages per hour. The annual earnings of non-Hispanic is nearly US$34,826, while for Hispanic population is about US$14,169. It is estimated that this percentage will grow to 38 percent by 2040. If the State cannot receive enough tax revenue, the economy could eventually decline. Thus, for the sake of the future of the State’s economy, it would be important to fill that income gap among POC.
Texas’s urban areas, according to projections, are likely to increase their population to more than 15.5 million people by 2050. These urban areas include Denton, Collin, Fort Bend, Dallas, Bexar and Harris and others. The Hispanic population in each of these cities are higher than other ethnicities. For instance, by 2040, it is projected that the Hispanic population in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area will be 53.21 percent, while others between 8-25 percent. It is evident that the number could decrease or increase depending on several factors such as the State’s immigration laws. This is because this trend could generate undesirable results that would lead to an unstable economy, high unemployment rates and increased poverty in the future. In the past decade, the State’s booming cities have attracted new families and created jobs, particularly young immigrants and families, which is helping the State to reshape urbanism. It is all about economic opportunity for all. The State government should start to take necessary measures to ensure it curbs this growing rate of population by changing its immigration laws. The government must also consider education as it is a vital step in ensuring the State has a stable economy in the next two decades.
In conclusion, it is evident from the above paper that Texas State remains an outstanding state in the United States that attracts numerous people of all races and ethnicities. Its population and economic growth is still growing and increasingly diverse and it is projected to rise rapidly in the next two decades. Therefore, it is vital for the State government to begin planning early to prevent over population, which could affect employment, economy, and environmental aspects of Texas in the near future.
Work Cited
Serwer, A. “How Texas turned purple”. Atlantic. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/texas-turning-blue/616978/
Turner, Ani, et al. “Economic impacts of health disparities in Texas 2020.” (2021).
2036, Texas, and Texas 2036. “12 Factors Shaping Our State’s Future – Texas 2036”. Texas 2036, 2022, https://texas2036.org/posts/12-factors-shaping-our-states-future/.
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