Snapshots Across the Region
The previous section provides a panoramic view of recent economic development in the Coastal Bend as a whole. This
section instead takes a close look at each of the 12 counties within this region. Each community snapshot covers some vital economic
indicators for 2013, including population, employment, average wages and income levels. For those key statistics, we also include
percent changes from the previous year, which capture short-term economic growth; and percent changes since 2008, which reflect
long-term changes in economic conditions. We will also summarize development in the local labor markets, followed by a description
of the landscape of the local economy in the context of job distribution and growth by industry. Each county update ends with a
description of recent developments in local business and the local housing market.
Jobs and Earnings Stay Ahead Across the Region
With the Eagle Ford in the
backyard, the Coastal Bend has been
experiencing unprecedented economic
growth. The ripple effects were felt in most
local communities with employment and
income gains in 2013. Total wage earnings
rose 8.6 percent ac ɽ