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Metroplex Region
gross domestic product,
2020
About 31 percent of Texas’ GDP of $1.8 trillion.
Metroplex Region Counties:
- Collin
- Cooke
- Dallas
- Denton
- Ellis
- Erath
- Fannin
- Grayson
- Hood
- Hunt
- Johnson
- Kaufman
- Navarro
- Palo Pinto
- Parker
- Rockwall
- Somervell
- Tarrant
- Wise
The 19-county Metroplex region covers about 15,600 square miles, stretching from Oklahoma south to the Brazos River and from the Cedar Creek Reservoir in the east to Possum Kingdom Lake in the west.
The region includes two metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): The Sherman-Denison MSA and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA, which, in turn, comprises two Metropolitan Divisions (MDs): the Fort Worth-Arlington MD and the Dallas-Plano-Irving MD.
Population Change
Between 2010 and 2020, the region was one of the fastest growing in the nation, adding more than 1.3 million people, a nearly 20 percent increase. Several counties in the region exceeded 30 percent growth during this period — Kaufman (40.6 percent), Rockwall (37.6 percent), Denton (36.8 percent), and Collin (36.1 percent).
REGION
19.5%
TEXAS
15.9%
U.S.
7.4%
Jobs & Wages
Nearly 4 million people were employed in the region in 2020. Industries related to communications and air transportation are among the most concentrated. These industries have a high location quotient or LQ (above 1.25), indicating they’re unique to the regional economy and enjoy a competitive advantage in the region. Jobs in the warehousing and storage industry led regional job growth, increasing by nearly 41,000 jobs, a 184 percent gain between 2015 and 2020.
Percent change in total jobs, 2010 to 2020
Employment growth in the Metroplex Region grew by 22.0%, compared to Texas at 17.1% and the U.S. at 7.8%.
Top Industries by Location Quotient, 2020
| Industry | Employment | Average Annual Wages | Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 8,293 | $156,312 | 3.68 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 36,635 | $144,180 | 3.35 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 47,905 | $108,288 | 3.06 |
| Other Telecommunications | 5,959 | $111,327 | 2.73 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 9,314 | $166,583 | 2.62 |
Industries with Largest Total Jobs Growth, 2015 to 2020
| Industry | Average Annual Wages | Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 | Percent Employment Change, 2015 to 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage | $38,596 | 40,637 | 183.5% |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $114,492 | 18,990 | 27.8% |
| Management, Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | $106,512 | 15,416 | 32.1% |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $63,578 | 10,964 | 19.1% |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | $39,670 | 10,871 | 56.6% |
THE Metroplex REGION IS ONE OF THE COMPTROLLER’S 12 ECONOMIC REGIONS.
Sources: JobsEQ; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts