Texas is a Growing State

This article is from the Star Telegram...thought this was very good news for all of us that live in Texas.

Texas added more people in past year than any other state
By BILL HANNA
billhanna@star-telegram.com

The economy may be slowing down but Texas is still the big leader in population gains.
From July 2007 to July 2008, Texas added 483,542 people, outdistancing California, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona, according to estimates released Monday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
"This is kind of a return to the rapid growth rate that we saw throughout the ’90s," said Texas state demographer Karl Eschbach. "Whether the recession will start slowing things down, I don’t know."
Texas was also the third-fastest-growing state in percentage terms, at 2 percent. Utah was the fastest-growing state, at 2.5 percent, followed by Arizona, with 2.3 percent.
Overall, Texas, with 24.3 million people, is the second-most-populous state, behind California, with 36.8 million. New York is third, with 19.5 million, followed by Florida, 18.3 million, and Illinois, 12.9 million.
Eschbach noted that Texas continues to be near the top for both domestic and international migration. New York and California, the other top two international migration states, also have large patterns of people migrating out, while Texas does not, said Eschbach, who is based at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
The strong economy and job creation are the main reasons for Texas’ attractiveness. Other states that have been among the top growing states, such as Nevada, have cooled considerably.
"What’s striking is state after state after state experienced a slowdown in growth rate, and we didn’t," Eschbach said.
The latest estimates ended in July, before the financial crisis and a dramatic drop in energy prices. The unknown is how much that will affect Texas over the next year. Eschbach also cautions that Census Bureau estimates become less reliable the further removed from the previous census, which in this case was in 2000.
Still, most signs are encouraging for Texas.
"One thing you will already notice is that state-to-state migration appears to be slowing down," Eschbach said. "There is much less net movement compared to the middle of the decade. I would expect next year’s numbers to show less population movement than this year numbers. For Texas, the job losses in other states are just really starting to happen here."
Eschbach expects Texas to keep creating jobs but at a slower pace. That may still place Texas at the top of population gains even if the numbers drop dramatically over the next year.
"We’re still among the healthiest economies to be in," Eschbach said. "From the available data we have, we’re seeing the same patterns we’ve been seeing, very rapid growth in all of the major core counties: Tarrant, Harris, Travis and Bexar. Not so much in Dallas. But growth in all of Texas’ major suburban counties: Collin, Denton, Williamson, Hays, Montgomery and Fort Bend. All of those are still growing."

State populations Most people gained

1.Texas 483,542
2.California 379,132
3.North Carolina 180,820
4.Georgia 162,447
5.Arizona 146,759
6.Florida 128,814
7.Washington 99,713
8.Colorado 96,686
9.Illinois 75,754
10.South Carolina 74,886

Highest percentage growth

1.Utah 2.5%
2.Arizona 2.3%
3.Texas 2.0%
4.North Carolina 2.0%
5.Colorado 2.0%
6.Idaho 1.8%
7.Wyoming 1.8%
8.Nevada 1.8%
9.Georgia 1.7%
10.South Carolina 1.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, based on estimates from July 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008.

CANCUN ANYONE?

This article was brodcast on WFAA a few months back and I think is very useful information and helps explain what an Independent Insurance Agent is all about.

By DAVID SCHECHTER / WFAA-TV

If we told you that one phone call could save you hundreds of dollars would you make it?
A no brainer. But for some reason few Texans take advantage of the huge savings we're about to tell you about.
You're probably one of them.
Really, is there anyone you want to see less than your insurance agent?
But it's a conversation that's likely to save you some money.
It did for John Gordy of Rowlett.
He was with an insurance company for 20 years.
But when his kids started driving, and his rates went up, he looked for an alternative and found one.
"I went from $1,600 to $1,100," he said.
That's a saving of $500 a year, a number that made it pretty easy to leave his old company.
In the last few years, the legislature's made some major changes in insurance law, essentially opening the state up to more competition.
There are better prices for smart consumers.
That's exciting.
Insurance agents still are not.
Kevin Cosltow is an independent agent.
He offers insurance policies from more than 70 competing companies.
"If you're shopping with a captive company you're only going to get one rate," he said.
Costlow is pretty confident that you're paying too much.
He thinks he could save me $1,000.
And the new policy is actually better than the old one.
But during a much-anticipated visit to the Texas Department of Insurance we learned consumers should proceed with some caution, avoiding a product that's much cheaper than everything else.
"It's true in insurance as it is in anything else. You get what you pay for," said Terry Hagins.
Here are a few things you should keep in mind before you switch:
*Agent's background: Your agent must be licensed with state.
*Company Background: Check on a companies track record with its customers and state regulators.
*Make sure you get "Replacement Cost Coverage." It costs a little more but you'll be reimbursed for the actual value of replacing what you lost.
"Doing a couple of things like that, a consumer can make a sound decision. And it's not like pulling teeth," said Hagins.
It wasn't for Gordy, who spent a little time studying up to get comfortable, and actually ended up with better coverage.
And just think about what a little chat with your insurance agent can save you hundreds and pay for - tickets to Cancun, perhaps?