economic boomtown

Prosperous Fort Worth declared No. 2 best economic boomtown in America

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Move over, Austin: Fort Worth's booming financial prosperity has earned the city an impressive ranking of No. 2 in a new list of best U.S. cities for economic growth. It outperformed all major cities in Texas.

The new study, "America's Boomtowns: Top Cities for Economic Growth," from flexible workspace listing provider CoworkingCafe, ranked America's boomtowns based on population growth, GDP, employment rates, and other economic factors. The top cities were divided into three categories: small cities (populations under 250,000); mid-sized cities (populations between 250,000 and 500,00); and large cities (populations over 500,000).

Fort Worth earned a score of 64 points in the large city category to claim the No. 2 spot. Cowtown trailed just two points behind Mesa, Arizona, which was ranked America's No. 1 boomtown. Rounding out the top five are Phoenix, Arizona (No. 3); Sacramento, California (No. 4); and Austin, Texas and Fresno, California in a two-way tie for No. 5.

According to the report, Fort Worth's economic successes can be attributed to population growth, a steady increase in housing, and an attraction of major businesses and employers across all industries, including technology, healthcare, and logistics. CoworkingCafe says the city's population grew 7 percent to 957,000 residents in 2022, and the housing sector has grown 11 percent since 2018, the second highest jump in housing across all major cities.

"The rise in housing has not only provided more living spaces but also spurred related economic activities, including construction and real estate development, further contributing to the city’s economic dynamism," the report said.

Here's how the study defined Fort Worth's economic "evolution" from 2018 to 2022:

60 percent growth in business applications
40 percent growth in trade-exports
33 percent growth in GDP
26 percent growth in median earnings
10 percent growth in educational attainment
6 percent growth in infrastructure
2 percent growth in employment rates

Elsewhere across North Texas
Neighboring Dallas ranked just outside the top 10 as the No. 12 large city for economic growth. The report's findings show Dallas struggled to improve its housing sector from 2018 to 2022, only growing by 3 percent. The employment rates during the five-year period stagnated, as did the city's growth in educational attainment.

However, Dallas did have a higher growth in GDP than Fort Worth, at 33 percent, and the city's median earnings saw a 30 percent evolution during the same time period. Dallas matched Fort Worth's growth in trade-exports and infrastructure.

In the category for the best mid-size cities for economic growth, three Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs ranked outside the top 10: Irving (No. 14), Arlington (No. 26), and Plano (No. 35).

Lewisville landed inside the top 10 in the nationwide category for cities with populations under 250,000, coming in at No. 9. Additional top small cities in the top 50 include Denton (No. 19), Frisco (No. 23), McKinney (No. 25), Mesquite (No. 35), and Garland (No. 48).

The top 10 best large cities for economic growth are:

No. 1 – Mesa, Arizona
No. 2 – Fort Worth, Texas
No. 3 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 4 – Sacramento, California
No. 5 – Austin, Texas and Fresno, California (tied)
No. 6 – Indianapolis, Indiana
No. 7 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 8 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 9 – Kansas City, Missouri
No. 10 – Columbus, Ohio

The full report and its methodology can be found on coworkingcafe.com.

austin dallas economy fort worth population growth ranking rankings reports

Police News

Fort Worth police officer fired for unjustified use of force

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A Fort Worth police officer has been terminated following his involvement in a use of force incident. According to a release, Officer Matthew Krueger was let go on December 18, following an investigation into an incident involving someone who was videotaping his actions while he was on duty.

On Sunday, June 23, Fort Worth police officers responded to a hit-and-run collision near 1000 Foch St. The incident involved a suspected intoxicated driver who crashed into another vehicle and a structure before fleeing the scene on foot.

While officers were investigating, a woman approached them and used her cell phone to record their actions. Krueger asked and advised her multiple times to move across the street. When she failed to comply, she was placed under arrest.

During the arrest, Krueger used force to take the woman into custody, resulting in injuries that required medical care at an area hospital.

After being treated, the woman was released from the hospital, booked into jail, and charged with interference with public duties, resisting arrest and/or detention, evading arrest, and making a false alarm or report.

Krueger had been with the department for just under eight years and was assigned to the Patrol Bureau at the time of the incident.

The Fort Worth Police Major Case and Internal Affairs Units began immediate and congruent investigations. Krueger was transferred from Patrol to a unit with no public interaction, pending the outcome of the investigation.

After a review of the Internal Affairs investigation, Krueger’s chain of command determined that the level of force used was unjustified and violated departmental policy. Police Chief Neil Noakes concurred and terminated Krueger’s employment.

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