State Resources


Texas Business Resources

The economy of Texas boasts a GDP of over $1 trillion, a figure larger than that of most developed nations. The shear size of the economy is complemented by the wide diversity of industries it encompasses. Mining, manufacturing, services and agriculture are all integral components of the state’s economy.

Texas is the leading U.S. producer of oil and natural gas. Mining has contributed over 9% to the state economy in recent years, reaching the $100 billion mark in 2006. The strength of the extraction industry is complemented by a growing manufacturing industry. Many of the manufacturing companies are located along the gulf coast, in close proximity to oil and gas resources. These resources are used as both a source of energy for the facilities and as manufacturing input in some cases. Texas also leads the country in production of cattle and cotton and is home to more farmland, sheep, and lambs than any other state.

Business Data

Per Capita Real GDP$36,920 Rank: 19/50 (2006)
Population20,851,800 Rank: 2/50 (2000)
Per Capita Personal Income$34,257 Rank: 25/50 (2006)
Unemployment Rate4.30% Rank: 21/50 (2008)
Business Tax Climate IndexRank: 8/50 (2008)
Corporate Tax Rate0
Individual Tax Rate 0
Sales Tax Rate 6.25%

Business Tax Climate Index

Individual Income Tax Index Rank7
Sales Tax Index Rank28
Unemployment Insurance Tax Index Rank14
Property Tax Index Rank27
Business Tax Climate Index8
Corporate Tax Index Rank47

State Information

AbbreviationTX
CapitalAustin
Nick NameLone Star State
State Web Sitehttp://www.texas.gov
MottoFriendship

Top 5 Export Partner Countries

Mexico, Canada, China, Korea, South, Netherlands

Top 5 Export Merchandise

Computers and Electronic Products Sales Chemicals Sales Chemicals Manufacturing Electrical Equipment Manufacturing Computers and Electronic Products Manufacturing

Major Cities

Dallas, Houston, San Antonio

GDP

Total Gross Domestic Product (USD Millions) $1,141,965.00 (2007)
Per Capita Real GDP (USD)$37,793.00 Rank: 19 (2007)

Population Stats

Population 24,326,974 Rank: 2 (2008)

Age Distribution

Under 18 Population5,886,760
Under 18 Percent of Total Population28%
65 and older Population2,072,530
65 and older Percent of Total Population10%

Gender Distribution

Male Population49.6%
Female Population50.4%
Non-English Speaker (at home)4,629,870
Net International Immigration663,161
Birth Rate17.1%
Percent of People Under Poverty Level17.6%
Rank5

Expenditure

Per Capita State Spending$89,650
Rank50
Energy Expenditures per Person$5,645
Expenditures of State and Local Government Employee-Retirement Systems$9,189,495

Revenue

Personal Income$30,604
Rank25
State Internal Revenue Collection$225,390,904
Rank3
Cash and Deposits by State Government$7,127,760
Per Capita State Tax Collection$1,582
Rank49

Education

High School Graduation Rate64.1%
Rank41
Percent of Population with a Bachelor's Degree16.7%
Rank27
Percent of Population with an Advanced Degree8.1%
Rank34

Largest Universities

Texas A & M University University of Houston University of Texas, Austin
High School Graduation Rate64.1%

Logistics

Public Road Length (Mile)305,270
Gas Tax Rate (%)20%
Highway Planning and Construction (USD Thousands)2,668,568
Number of Public Airports389

Main Airports

AFW: Fort Worth AUS: Austin BRO: Brownsville DFW: Dallas-Fort Worth ELP: El Paso HRL: Harlingen IAH: Houston LBB: Lubbock LRD: Laredo SAT: San Antonio

Ports

Beaumont Brownsville Corpus Christi Freeport Galveston Houston Port Arthur Port Lavaca Texas City Victoria

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State Business Links

Dallas News
http://www.dallasnews.com/

Secretary of State

Texas Secretary of State
http://www.sos.state.tx.us
Look here for the full-text of the Texas Register and Texas Administrative Code which contain the regulations from various state agencies.

Small Business Administration

Texas Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/localresources/district/tx/
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

Top 10 Business Links

Bureau of Business Research (BBR)
http://www.ic2.utexas.edu/bbr/
The BBR is a research institute that is part of the University of Texas at Austin. It provides research material that primarily focuses on economic development, and is aimed fostering the competitiveness of the state. The BBR also publishes the Texas Business Review, a periodical that features the various research articles.
Central Texas Business Resource Center
http://www.centexbrc.org/
The center is focused on assisting small and medium-sized businesses who wish to establish themselves in Texas. A few of the services it provides are business counseling and employee development. The center also has a directory of business resources that includes statistical data and industry profiles.
District Export Councils (DEC) of Texas
http://www.exporttexas.com/
The DECs of Texas bring together state business leaders to create a knowledge base for international business. There are four councils located in the state, all of which provide business advising services as well as training and education focused primarily on global trade.
International Trade Center (ITC)
http://www.texastrade.org/
The ITC at the University of San Antonio assists businesses who wish to expand and establish themselves globally. It focuses mainly on small businesses, and provides services that include consulting solutions, as well as import/export training. The center is also in partnerships with other agencies to create programs such as a Mexico SBDC.
San Antonio US Export Assistance Center
http://www.buyusa.gov/sanantonio/
This branch of the Department of Commerce specializes in helping small to medium sized companies, in Texas, develop and execute exporting strategies. A few of its services include trade leads, market research, and business advocacy. Its website contains a list of local partner agencies, as well as free webcasts.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobs/job.html
The TWC is a government agency dedicated to workforce development within the state. In addition to recruitment and job placements, it also provides training and development services for current workers. The TWC has workforce centers located around the state.