Harris County among top U.S. counties in real GDP

HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports that Harris County had the highest real GDP of any county in the state in 2023, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The county’s real GDP was nearly $430 million, which was around $125 million more than second-place Dallas County. Montgomery County and Fort Bend County also rounded out the top 10 while Brazoria County and Galveston County give the Houston metro area five spots among the top 20 Texas counties in GDP. Nationally, only Los Angeles County in California and New York County in New York had higher GDPs than Harris County. Harris County itself is also greater than a majority of the 50 states.

When including the entire Houston metro area, the region has a real GDP of about $550 million. However, that is only seventh in the country and second in the state behind the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The region’s real GDP growth rate from 2022 to 2023 ranked third among metropolitan areas with at least 1 million people behind Seattle and Oklahoma City. Among all metropolitan areas, the Beaumont-Port Arthur area and the College Station-Bryan area rank in the top 20 for GDP growth.