Corpus Christi Economics

Oil, air, sea provide diversity
Corpus Christi can be described as an oilman's mecca, a pilot's wide-open sky or a seaman's homeport. It's home to a diversified economy, said Jim Lee, a professor of economics at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi job choices include professions in petroleum processing, a deep-water seaport, cotton and grain sorghum farming, cattle ranching and a vibrant tourist trade that includes spring break hotspots at Padre Island and Port Aransas. The local economy is healthier than the national economy, with the unemployment rate holding steady since May at 5.8 percent, Lee said. Government and service industries such as hotels are gaining jobs while manufacturing is losing jobs. "Over the long run, we are talking about the past 10 years compared to the next 10 years, we need to decide where we are headed," Lee said. "In the end, it boils down to standard of living."

Growth continues moving south
Schools, low-interest rates help subdivisions gain popularity.Spurred by low interest rates, strong schools and accessible retail, homebuyers are driving the city's southward growth.
Residential building activity is occurring at a dizzying rate to the south, where developers continue to expand on successful subdivisions such as Kings Crossing, the Village at Dunbarton Oaks and Barclay Grove, to name a few. The fastest growing Corpus Christi area is the tract bound by Staples Street, Yorktown Boulevard and Oso Creek.