Fast Times

Which big city is growing the fastest in Texas? Surprisingly, it's not Dallas.

Fort Worth is expected to grow by nearly 84 percent from 2014 to 2040.

Just how much bigger will Texas' big cities be in 25 years? A new study from LawnStarter.com reveals the expected population growth for Texas' five biggest cities by 2040, and a surprising North Texas spot ranks No. 1.

Fort Worth is poised for the most explosive growth among big cities in Texas, according to LawnStarter.

"The Texas Water Development Board's projections indicate Cowtown's headcount will approach 1.5 million in 2040. Translation: a population surge of nearly 84 percent from 2014 to 2040." Fort Worth boasts a strong job market, proximity to DFW Airport, and a vibrant downtown.

"Fort Worth has a long way to go to catch up to Dallas, but Fort Worth has an advantage that Dallas doesn't have: Fort Worth can annex. And Fort Worth has been smart enough to annex ahead of development," Bud Weinstein, a professor at Southern Methodist University who studies population trends, told KXAS TV.

Dallas ranks fourth on the list. Our expected population increase between 2014 to 2040 is slightly less than 20 percent. To put it in perspective, Dallas' projected population of 1,531,680 in 2040 will be the same as Phoenix's population in 2014.

Austin ranks second on the list, with an expected increase of slightly more than 45 percent.

San Antonio comes in third, with an estimated population increase of 33 percent. In 2040, San Antonio's population is expected to be just shy of 2 million residents. Houston, with an estimated population growth of 16 percent, ranks fifth.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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