Economy
The Dallas-Fort Worth economy continues to evolve.
In the past, energy and agriculture were the regions
anchor industries, but the migration of companies from
the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt during the past 30 years
led to extraordinary growth in the Metroplex. Currently,
the region is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies in diverse
economic sectors, including retail, health care services
and telecommunications. Many national and international
corporations maintain regional and subsidiary headquarters
in the region as well.
The rise of telecommunications and high-tech companies
in the 1990s led to unprecedented economic growth. These
firms hired thousands of employees, fueling demand for
ancillary services in hospitality, food service and
construction. The subsequent economic slowdown has had
a negative impact on the region but not as severe as
in other technology-heavy metro areas.
Dallas-Fort Worths central location in the burgeoning
Southwest allows the metro area to be the pre-eminent
distribution hub for the region. The trade and transportation
industries support over one-fifth of the
employment base and infuse billions of dollars into
the local economy. A tepid national economy and terrorism
anxieties have caused some companies to scale back
operations during the past few years, but the outlook
remains bright for this sector.
A surging population has construction crews busy. New
residential developments and infrastructure
improvements will continue to support the construction
sector.
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