Exciting times are unfolding north of Houston as Conroe, seat of Montgomery County, has been hailed the fastest growing city in the US, among cities with a population more than 50,000.
With 82,286 residents as of July 2016, Conroe recorded a 7.8% growth in population over the preceding 12 months, according to the United States Census Bureau. At that rate, Conroe is growing 11 times faster than the rest of America. Consequently, Montgomery tops the nation in terms of per-county population growth, with a total of 19,700 residents welcomed into its boundaries over the same time period.
All the right ingredients
State and city officials attribute Conroe’s impressive milestone to a variety of factors, including:
- A flourishing and diverse job market
- Lower cost of living
- The city’s small-town charm
Job creation within the city as well as in the surrounding areas has been aggressive in recent months. The Community Impact Newspaper reports that from December 2015 through November 2016, more than 16,000 jobs were created in the Greater Houston region. Key to the area’s economic success are the local tax incentive programs that continue to attract companies, investors, and jobs into the region.
Today, Conroe is host to notable businesses operating in the food, manufacturing, technology, and finance industries. Oil extraction businesses, which are common across the state, also play a prominent role in the local economy.
Community Impact also reports that Montgomery County has spurred the creation of over 35,000 jobs in the education, health services, trade, transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality, construction, and professional services since 2009. By 2024, more than 610,000 jobs are expected to be created in the Greater Houston area.
Keeping pace with the change
Conroe Mayor Toby Powell welcomed the news, saying the city’s growth was something local officials have been working on for years.
Calling the city “a small town with a big heart,” the mayor said their goal was to be “the best of the best” and that means providing “quality of life for the citizens.”
Conroe officials planned for the increased demand for services and infrastructure amid the city’s fast-paced growth. A new police station opened in late spring, while a new fire station is currently under construction. A second city sewerage plant is also in the works.
Neighborhoods on the rise
Residential neighborhoods are keeping pace with Conroe’s growth:
- The Woodlands Development Company is building a 5,400-home residential area in the northern portion of the city.
- On Conroe’s south side, Johnson Development is building Grand Central Park, a 2,046-acre master-planned community.
- More projects are in the pipeline as developers acknowledge the growing demand brought in by the region’s employment boom.
The population is expected to grow by roughly another 20,000 in the next three years, breaching 100,000 by 2020, if not earlier.
The mayor said that it was a “wonderful time to live in Conroe.” He praised the people who work and contribute to the growth of the city, allowing residents to “live in a large town with a small-town atmosphere.”
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