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The stars at night are not the only thing that is big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. The state is a leader in population growth compared to other metropolitan cities across the United States. Among the various reasons for this growth in population is domestic migration, or people who move to the area from a different area of the United States. Between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013 the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area added more than 100,000 people alone. This was the third-largest population boom across the United States, following New York and Houston. Here is how it breaks down per county.

• Travis County added approximately 25,000 new folks.
• Dallas County saw 26,000 more residents moving into the area.
• Tarrant County added 30,000 new people to its population.
• Bexar County included 32,000 new residents to the area.
• Harris County grew by 83,000 compared to the previous year.

Another reason for the boom in population in this sprawling metropolis is because of the economically friendly atmosphere. As corporations like State Farm and Toyota move their business into the Dallas-Fort Worth area, there are more opportunities for families to raise children, work, enjoy recreational activities, and retire. This kind of growth is good for Northern Texas because it gives the residents more opportunities. As suburbs grow in McKinney, for example, major crimes continue to decline – at a rate of 9 percent in 2013 including property crime. In Irving crime is down for the tenth year in a row, a drop that equaled nearly 50 percent overall. People want to live where they feel safe, and they feel safe here. Population growth in North Texas is not only good for the overall state though. It is also a boom for the entire country, from one shining sea to another and everywhere in between. About one ninth of children within the United States lives in Texas.  While some will stay in the state their entire lives, others will move to metropolitan areas elsewhere. Therefore the Dallas-Fort Worth area is looking at areas of both physical health and mental well-being. Population growth means a bigger demand for family health services, which provides yet another opportunity, this time for those working in the medical field, to find jobs that might not exist elsewhere in the country due to overpopulation. The development of new fossil fuels in the state could mean a long period of growth to come for the metropolitan area. As new Texans continue to migrate into the state, it makes it clear that this is where the country’s best economic opportunities lie. While part of that is the wide range of careers available to explore, another reason is because of the low cost of living. More jobs plus a low cost of living makes Dallas, Fort Worth, and other areas around the northern Texas metropolis a perfect choice for many as a place to buy a home and raise a family.