Economic Impact of Retirement Migration on the Texas Hill Country

Abstract

Early in the 20th century economies stagnated and populations dwindled in the Texas Hill Country. Over the past three decades, however, several Hill Country counties have experienced a remarkable reversal of demographic fortune, culminating in a notable influx of older migrants with wealth. This study documents this flow with census data for 34 counties in Texas Hill Country between 1965 and 1990. Correlation statistics show a close relationship between elderly inmigrant flows and economic resurgence in several counties. In particular, elderly in-migration rates were closely tied to increases in county income, as well as growth in the service, retail, and construction sectors.