Texas metros lead U.S. economy

​​TEXAS – Last year, the Lone Star State accounted for half of the 16 U.S. metro areas where the economy grew at a 6 percent rate or more in 2014, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Despite the oil industry slowdown, the Midland area in the heart of oil-rich country led the nation’s metro economic growth last year with 24.1 percent growth in its economic output.

The San Angelo area ranked No. 1 with 11.4 percent annual growth and the Dallas-Fort Worth area was No. 3 with 8.5 percent growth, the highest rate in five years and up from 5.3 percent in 2013.

Last year’s numbers also may not show the full impact of the oil industry slowdown, which really started to show in July 2014.

Looking ahead, most economists expect the Texas economy and those of oil-rich areas of the state, such as Houston and Odessa, to see slower economic and employment growth this year because of the oil crisis.

See the entire list in the Dallas Morning News.