Golden Gazette • August 2022 • Page 17
Lubbock is booming & long-term growth is happening As one goes about the dayto-day life in Lubbock, it can be easy to underestimate the longterm growth occurring right before our eyes. Taking a step back and looking at recent data shows that the Lubbock area is outpacing several peer cities across West Texas and beyond in terms of growth. From population growth to home construction, the picture is clear: Lubbock is booming. In 2020, as a global pandemic disrupted the economy and way of life, Lubbock still managed to set a record for residential permits issued in a calendar year. The 1,826 permits issued eclipsed the 2019 mark of 1,329, an increase of 37 percent yearover-year. In 2021, the record was shattered again when 2,428 residential permits were issued - a 33 percent increase year-over-year. Lubbock’s 2021 residential permits exceeded El Paso’s, a city nearly triple the size of Lubbock. If Amarillo and Abilene doubled their combined residential permits in 2021, it would still be fewer than Lubbock issued. Through June 2022 despite
supply chain shortages and major cost increases, another 1,491 residential permits have been issued so far this year. The 2020 Census data shines a light on the growth Lubbock is experiencing. At the county level, Lubbock County grew at a rate of more than 11% since the 2010 Census was conducted. Apart from the explosive growth seen in the MidlandOdessa metro area, Lubbock is outpacing its West Texas peers in population growth. Lubbock is also sometimes compared to Laredo in Webb County, as both the cities and counties are comparable in size. Compared to Lubbock County’s 11% growth since 2010, Webb County saw a growth rate of 6.7%. Nueces County is also comparable in size to Lubbock County - Nueces is the 16th largest county in Texas while Lubbock is 18th - and is home to another comparable city in Corpus Christi. Nueces County’s growth rate was just under 4% since the 2010 Census. It’s clear from the data that Lubbock is growing at a rate that exceeds not just several of its West Texas regional neighbors,
Here’s how other counties west of the I-35 corridor compare from the 2010 Census to 2020: • Midland County: +24% • Ector County (Odessa): +20% • Taylor County (Abilene): +9% • Tom Green County (San Angelo): +9% • El Paso County: +8% • Potter and Randall Counties, combined (Amarillo): +7% • Wichita County (Wichita Falls): -1.6%
but also some comparable communities in other regions of the state. Historically, Lubbock has done a great job of accommodating growth with investments such as Loop 289 and the Marsha Sharp Freeway, plus some recent investments like school district bonds and Loop 88. It will be important for the community
to continue investing in the basic infrastructure that will allow for this growth to be sustainable - housing, water, transportation, broadband, etc. - while also maintaining and improving what has long existed in the community, such as Downtown Lubbock, 34th Street, and historic neighborhoods. HTTP://WWW.LUBBOCKCHAMBER.COM
UMC Activities Center (806)761-0676 www.umchealthsystem.com/activitiescenter 7105 Kewanee Ave. Lubbock, TX 79424
Volunteers Are you interested in Supporting the UMC Health System? Volunteers are needed now more than ever! You have the ability to set your own schedule to fit your needs. Volunteers and staff follow hospital health and safety protocols to minimize risk! If you are interested in volunteering with UMC or have further questions, please call!
(806)775-8238
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