Texas is one of the fastest-growing states and is growing more in total population than any other state in the U.S. Four of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the U.S. are in Texas, and five out of the top fifteen.
Population Growth and related development is concentrated in the “Texas Triangle”: the metropolitan areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, connected by Interstates 45 (Dallas-San Antonio), 35 (Dallas-Houston) and 10 (San Antonio-Houston). Austin, College Station, and Waco are contained within the triangle.
From 1982 to 2012, the counties bordering on the Texas Triangle accounted for 65% of open space lost in the state. Population growth accounted for 64% of lost open spaces, while increasing per capita land use accounted for the other 36%.
