Houston economy outpacing rest of state

Resilient in face of Ike

Steve Hawley, Mar 24, 10.

The Houston-region economy has surpassed the rest of Texas despite a nationwide recession and the impacts of Hurricane Ike, according to the Houston Business Journal.

The article states:

If Houston were a nation, its economy would be the 25th largest in the world, just behind Norway, according to a new report by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs.

Following the effects of Hurricane Ike in 2008, the Gulf Coast region has shown resilience in the area economy and even surpassed the rest of Texas for quarterly sales when the state entered a national recession, according to the report.

It adds that some of the growth was due to federal aid and the presence of relief workers after Hurricane Ike. However, the Business Journal states that the regional economy will continue to be strong due to diverse and steady industries such as healthcare and energy. The single largest employer in the region is the Texas Medical Center, with 72,600 employees.

(Photo credit: Socrate76)