The State of Texas: A Comprehensive Reference

Texas, officially the State of Texas, is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population, occupying 268,596 square miles in the south-central region of the country. Admitted to the Union on December 29, 1845 as the 28th state -- after nearly a decade as an independent republic following its 1836 revolution from Mexico -- Texas has grown from a frontier territory defined by ranching and cotton agriculture into one of the most economically powerful and demographically dynamic states in the nation. With an estimated population exceeding 30.5 million residents as of the most recent census estimates, Texas trails only California in total population and continues to add residents at a pace that outstrips most other states, gaining approximately 470,000 new residents annually in recent years.

The state capital is Austin, located in Central Texas along the Colorado River. While Austin serves as the seat of state government and has emerged as one of the nation's foremost technology and innovation centers, the largest city by population is Houston, which at approximately 2.3 million residents within city limits anchors a metropolitan area of more than 7 million people and serves as the undisputed energy capital of the world. Texas is organized into 254 counties -- more than any other state in the nation -- ranging from Harris County's 4.7 million residents to Loving County's population of fewer than 100, making it the least populous county in the United States.

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in North Texas constitutes the fourth largest metropolitan area in the nation, with a combined population exceeding 8 million people spread across a dozen counties. San Antonio, the state's second largest city by population at approximately 1.5 million residents, anchors a metropolitan area of 2.6 million in South-Central Texas and serves as home to one of the largest concentrations of military installations in the country. Together, these four major metropolitan areas -- Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin -- form the Texas Triangle, a megaregion containing approximately 75 percent of the state's total population and economic output.

Geography and Climate

Texas occupies a vast and geographically diverse territory that stretches approximately 800 miles from east to west and 801 miles from north to south. The state borders Mexico to the south and southwest along the Rio Grande, the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast, Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, and New Mexico to the west. This enormous geographic footprint encompasses terrain ranging from the humid pine forests of East Texas to the arid deserts of the Trans-Pecos region, from the flat agricultural plains of the Panhandle to the subtropical Rio Grande Valley along the Mexican border.

The state's topography is defined by several distinct physiographic regions. The Gulf Coastal Plains extend inland from the coast, characterized by flat to gently rolling terrain, bayous, and barrier islands. The Interior Lowlands cover much of North-Central Texas, including the Cross Timbers and Grand Prairie regions. The Great Plains sweep across the western portion of the state from the Panhandle southward, encompassing the Llano Estacado (Staked Plains), one of the largest mesas in North America. The Trans-Pecos region in far West Texas includes the state's only significant mountainous terrain, with Guadalupe Peak in Culberson County reaching 8,751 feet -- the highest point in Texas.

Climate varies dramatically across the state's enormous footprint. East Texas receives more than 50 inches of annual rainfall, while portions of the Trans-Pecos receive fewer than 10 inches. The Gulf Coast experiences a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, humid summers, while the Panhandle endures a semi-arid continental climate with cold winters and the occasional blizzard. Texas is situated in the heart of Tornado Alley, and the Gulf Coast is periodically affected by tropical storms and hurricanes, including devastating storms such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which dropped more than 60 inches of rain on parts of the Houston metropolitan area.

Major Metropolitan Areas

Texas's population is concentrated in several major metropolitan areas, each with distinct economic identities and cultural characteristics. Understanding these metropolitan regions is essential to understanding the state as a whole.

Houston and the Gulf Coast

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area is the largest in Texas and the fifth largest in the nation, with a population exceeding 7 million people spread across nine counties. Houston is the energy capital of the world, home to more than 4,600 energy-related firms including the headquarters of numerous major oil and gas companies. The city is also home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world with more than 60 institutions, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, the hub of American human spaceflight operations. The Port of Houston ranks as the largest port in the United States by foreign waterborne tonnage and second largest by total tonnage. For contractors and construction professionals serving the Houston market, resources are available through Houston Contractor Authority and Houston Plumbing Authority. For detailed regional coverage, see Gulf Coast and Houston.

Dallas-Fort Worth

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area is the fourth largest in the nation, with a combined population exceeding 8 million people across 13 counties. The metroplex is a major center for telecommunications, technology, financial services, defense manufacturing, and logistics. Dallas serves as the headquarters for numerous Fortune 500 companies, while Fort Worth is home to major defense operations including Lockheed Martin's F-35 production facility, the largest defense manufacturing plant in the Western Hemisphere. The DFW International Airport is the second busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and serves as the primary hub for American Airlines. For trade and construction professionals in the DFW area, the Authority Network America maintains Dallas Contractor Authority and Dallas HVAC Authority. For detailed regional coverage, see North Texas and DFW.

San Antonio and South Texas

The San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan area is the third largest in Texas, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. San Antonio is defined by its deep military heritage -- Joint Base San Antonio encompasses Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base, making it the largest joint base installation in the Department of Defense and the city's largest employer. The city is also a major tourism destination, anchored by the Alamo and the River Walk, and has a growing cybersecurity and biosciences sector. For contractors in the San Antonio market, see San Antonio Contractor Authority. For detailed regional coverage, see South Texas.

Austin and Central Texas

The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metropolitan area has been among the fastest growing major metropolitan areas in the United States for over a decade, with a population now exceeding 2.3 million. Austin is the state capital and home to the University of Texas at Austin, one of the largest and most highly funded public research universities in the nation. The city has become synonymous with the technology industry -- often dubbed "Silicon Hills" -- and hosts the headquarters or major offices of Tesla, Oracle, Samsung, Apple, Google, Meta, and hundreds of smaller technology companies. The metropolitan area also includes the city of Round Rock, headquarters of Dell Technologies. Contractor and HVAC professionals in the Austin market can access resources through Austin Contractor Authority and Austin HVAC Authority. For detailed regional coverage, see Central Texas and Austin.

Texas Regions

Beyond the major metropolitan areas, Texas is commonly understood through its distinct geographic and cultural regions, each shaped by unique combinations of geography, history, and economic activity. These regions do not correspond to formal governmental boundaries but reflect the way Texans understand their state's vast internal diversity.

North Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth encompasses the sprawling DFW metroplex and its surrounding counties, a region defined by corporate headquarters, technology, defense, and explosive suburban growth. Explore North Texas and DFW.

Gulf Coast and Houston stretches along the Texas coast from Beaumont to Corpus Christi, centered on the Houston metropolitan area. This region is the heart of the American energy industry, home to the world's largest medical center, and a major center for international trade. Explore the Gulf Coast and Houston.

Central Texas and Austin spans the corridor from Waco through Austin to San Marcos, anchored by the state capital and defined by technology, higher education, state government, and the scenic Hill Country. Explore Central Texas and Austin.

South Texas extends from San Antonio through the Rio Grande Valley to the Mexican border, a region shaped by military installations, Hispanic heritage, international trade, and agriculture. Explore South Texas.

West Texas encompasses the vast territory from the Permian Basin oil fields around Midland-Odessa to El Paso on the Mexican border, defined by energy production, ranching, and dramatic desert landscapes. Explore West Texas.

East Texas covers the Piney Woods region from the Louisiana border westward, historically defined by timber, oil, and agriculture, with major cities including Tyler, Longview, and Beaumont. Explore East Texas.

The Texas Panhandle occupies the rectangular protrusion in the state's north, characterized by ranching, agriculture, wind energy, and the dramatic Palo Duro Canyon. Explore the Texas Panhandle.

The Hill Country, while overlapping with Central and South Texas, is a culturally distinct region of rolling limestone hills, spring-fed rivers, German heritage towns, and the wine industry. It is covered in the Central Texas and South Texas pages.

For a complete overview of all regions with geographic context and key statistics, see Texas Regions Overview.

Economy

Texas possesses the second largest gross domestic product of any U.S. state, exceeding $2.0 trillion annually. If Texas were an independent nation, its economy would rank as the eighth largest in the world, ahead of countries such as Australia, South Korea, and Russia. The state's economic base is extraordinarily diversified, a transformation that has occurred over the past half century as Texas has evolved from a resource-extraction economy into a global center for technology, finance, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.

Energy remains foundational to the Texas economy, though its relative share has declined as other sectors have grown. Texas produces more crude oil and natural gas than any other state, accounting for approximately 43 percent of U.S. crude oil production and 25 percent of natural gas production. The Permian Basin in West Texas is the most productive oil field in the Western Hemisphere. Houston serves as the operational headquarters for the global energy industry, and Texas also leads the nation in wind energy generation capacity, with extensive wind farms across the Panhandle and West Texas. For electrical infrastructure professionals, see Texas Electrical Authority and Texas EV Charger Authority.

Technology has transformed the Texas economy, particularly in Austin and Dallas. Austin's tech sector includes major campuses for Tesla, Apple, Google, Meta, Oracle, and Samsung, along with a robust startup ecosystem. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is a major center for telecommunications, enterprise software, and semiconductor manufacturing, with Texas Instruments headquartered in Dallas.

Agriculture generates approximately $25 billion in annual cash receipts, making Texas the third largest agricultural state in the nation. Texas leads the country in cattle production, cotton production, and the number of farms and ranches, with approximately 248,000 operations covering 127 million acres. Additional major commodities include grain sorghum, dairy, poultry, and pecans. For comprehensive information on the state's agricultural sector, see Texas Agriculture Authority.

Aerospace and Defense represent a high-value sector anchored by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, major military installations including Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), Joint Base San Antonio, and Fort Bliss, and significant defense manufacturing operations including Lockheed Martin's F-35 facility in Fort Worth and L3Harris operations in multiple cities.

International Trade is a defining feature of the Texas economy. Texas consistently leads all states in export value, exceeding $375 billion annually. The state's 1,254-mile border with Mexico and extensive port infrastructure -- including the Port of Houston and the Port of Laredo, the busiest inland port in North America -- make it the primary corridor for U.S.-Mexico trade under the USMCA agreement.

For comprehensive economic data and industry analysis, see Texas Economy and Industries.

Government

Texas operates under its 1876 Constitution -- one of the longest and most amended state constitutions in the nation, with more than 500 amendments -- which establishes a republican form of government comprising three branches. The executive branch is headed by a Governor who serves four-year terms with no constitutional term limit. Uniquely among large states, the Texas executive branch features a plural executive in which the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, Commissioner of the General Land Office, and Commissioner of Agriculture are all independently elected, rather than appointed by the Governor.

The Texas Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. In a distinctive feature that shapes Texas governance, the Legislature meets in regular session only every two years for a maximum of 140 days, beginning in January of odd-numbered years. This biennial structure, combined with comparatively low legislative pay, reflects the framers' intent to create a citizen legislature and limit government expansion.

Texas is notable for its lack of a state personal income tax, relying instead on sales and use taxes, property taxes administered at the local level, and severance taxes on oil and gas production. This tax structure has been a significant factor in attracting corporate relocations and population growth from higher-tax states. For legal professionals and those needing guidance on Texas law, see Texas Legal Authority and Texas Legal Services Authority.

For detailed information on Texas's governmental structure, see Texas Government Structure.

Using This Reference

The Texas State Authority serves as a comprehensive reference for understanding the State of Texas -- its geography, economy, government, and regional character. Each section of this site provides detailed, factual information drawn from official state and federal sources. Regional pages offer in-depth profiles of Texas's distinct geographic areas, while county pages provide detailed profiles of major counties. Statewide pages address topics that cross regional boundaries.

For questions about specific industries, professional services, or local trade requirements in Texas, the Authority Network America maintains specialized reference sites for communities and industries across the state. These include resources for general contractors, HVAC professionals, plumbing contractors, roofing specialists, pool contractors, restoration services, and lawn care providers. These resources can be accessed through the regional pages or through the Get Help page.

For common questions about Texas and how to use this reference, see our Frequently Asked Questions page.