progress is progress

Texas ranks as 2nd best state for racial progress in 2024, study finds

The annual report is released in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Photo courtesy MLK Center

As Martin Luther King, Jr. Day approaches, personal finance website WalletHub is revisiting its annual report "States with the Most Racial Progress." Texas comes out near the top for 2024, but has room for improvement in several areas.

The report measures the gaps between Black and white residents across 22 key indicators of equality in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the rankings. States are scored in four major categories: employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. For the purpose of the study, "adults" include people aged 25 and older.

Texas ranks No. 2 overall in racial progress, placing just behind Georgia (No. 1). But in the study's separate ranking of states with the most racial integration, Texas lands farther down the list, at No. 8.

The racial progress report highlights the Lone Star State's efforts to reduce health insurance coverage gaps between white and Black residents – stating that the divide has reduced more than 13 percent within the last three decades. Improving higher education is another major milestone for the state, the study says.

"Texas has made some of the best progress in the nation when it comes to the share of [B]lack vs. white residents who have at least a bachelor’s degree," the report's author writes. "In fact, it’s one of the only states where the gap has decreased rather than increasing since 1970."

Texas earns top-five rankings in the the categories of education (No. 4) and health (No. 4), and ranked No. 6 in the study's social and civic engagement category. The state falls slightly behind in the employment and wealth category, ranking No. 13 overall.

Texas scores high in the following measures:

No. 7 – Change in median annual household income gap
No. 10 – Change in poverty rate gap
No. 8– Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a high school diploma
No. 4 – Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor's degree
No. 11 – Change in standardized test scores gap
No. 10 – Change in voter turnout gap during the 2020 presidential election

According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, 44 percent of Americans say they feel pessimistic about the nation's "ability to ensure racial equality for all people" in the future, regardless of race or ethnicity. That's compared to 28 percent who feel optimistic.

"Although our country has made a lot racial progress since the Civil Rights Movement, we still need to do better to ensure equality for everyone," the report says. "As we think about ways to improve equality in the future, though, we can also recognize the steps toward racial harmony we’ve already achieved — in our workplaces, in our schools and in our voting booths."

Following behind Texas to round out the top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2024 are Mississippi (No. 3), New Mexico (No. 4), Wyoming (No. 5), Connecticut (No. 6), New Jersey (No. 7), Maryland (No. 8), Florida (No. 9), and North Carolina (No. 10).

The report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

texas wallethub reports

Sobering statistic

Texas ranks No. 9 among deadliest states for New Year’s crashes

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At more than 314,000 miles, Texas boasts the largest system of public roads among the 50 states. It also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the deadliest states for New Year’s car accidents.

An analysis of 2014-2023 traffic data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows Texas is the ninth worst state for traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

During the 10-year period covered by the analysis, commissioned by AutoAccident.com, Texas tallied 280 traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day — the highest total of any state. The 280-person toll in Texas works out to 9.61 deaths per one million residents, a rate that’s 37 percent above the national average of 6.99 deaths per one million residents.

The analysis reveals that nearly three-fourths (64 percent) of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traffic deaths in Texas were drivers, nearly one-fifth (19 percent) were pedestrians, and 16 percent were passengers.

“New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous nights on American roads,” says Edward Smith, managing attorney at AutoAccident.com, a personal injury law firm.

“With impaired driving incidents spiking during holiday celebrations, every driver has a responsibility to make smart choices that protect themselves and others sharing the road,” Smith adds. “Even in states with strong safety records, one preventable death is too many.”

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), more than 2,000 drunk driving-related crashes happened during the 2024 holiday season. Last year, December ranked as the No. 1 month in Texas for wrecks caused by drunk drivers.

“The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family, and yet they can also be a painful reminder for those who have lost loved ones to preventable crashes,” says Marc Williams, executive director of TxDOT. “Let’s make a new holiday tradition to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous, and safe. That means always getting a sober ride.”

TxDOT offers these four tips for staying safe on the roads as the calendar switches from 2025 to 2026:

Designate a sober driver before the celebrations start.
Ask a sober relative or friend to pick you up if you’re too tipsy to drive.
Use public transit or rideshare services.
Stay off the roads until you’ve sobered up.

Several organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth are offering ways to get home safely around New Year’s if you’re too drunk to drive:

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has teamed up with Coors Light to provide free rides on New Year’s Eve. To get a free ride, enter the promo code COORSNYE25 in the GoPass app. The offer is available to the first 10,500 riders who enter the code in the GoPass app.
Trinity Metro will offer free Trinity Railway Express rides in Tarrant County from 6 pm-midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Various bars and entertainment venues in Dallas County are supplying QR codes for one free Lyft ride worth up to $35. The EpicCentral entertainment district in Grand Prairie is among the participants.
In collaboration with TxDOT and the Frisco Police Department, Uber is offering $30-per-ride vouchers for people in Frisco who aren’t sober enough to drive. Frisco ranks first on Allstate’s 2025 list of the Texas cities with the best drivers.
Fort Worth Limousines provides designated-driver services in Dallas-Fort Worth via limo, luxury sedan, SUV, and bus.
Pro-Tow Wrecker Service is offering free tows to tipsy motorists in Denton County who need a ride on New Year’s Eve.

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