la Frontera In the News

Austin Business Journal

May 21, 2004

Williamson high on life

Study: County third in Texas for quality of life

by Giselle Greenwood

People are awakening to the fact that Williamson County, once a sleepy suburban area of Austin, has a strong quality of life.

Williamson County ranks third among Texas counties in a new study of 20 statistical indicators rating such living conditions as unemployment, housing affordability and income. The study was done by American City Business Journals Inc., the parent company of the Austin Business Journal.

Elsewhere in the study, Travis County ranked sixth among Texas counties; Hays County, 24th; Bastrop County, 48th; and Caldwell County, 214th.

No. 1 in Texas is Collin County, followed by Rockwall County. Both those counties are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Nationally, Williamson County ranks 96th; Travis County, 189th, Hays County, 841st; Bastrop 1,284th; and Caldwell County, 2,779th.

A healthy quality of life helps determine whether companies come to certain areas, says Carlton Schwab, president and CEO of the Austin-based Texas Economic Development Council.

"Quality of life is always a factor toward the end of a location search," Schwab says. "That's when it really comes into play. Once you're down to three or four locations, quality of life is the determining factor."

Lucy Buck, director for regional planning at the Capital Area Planning Council, says companies frequently refer to Central Texas' quality of life when they are conducting site searches. Important indicators include good schools, mobility, and the number of higher education institutions, she says.

"Williamson County is strong because it's part of a strong region," Buck says.

Schwab agrees: "Our region has the reputation for having a high quality of life, and we back that up. Austin and Williamson County are part of our strengths as a region."

Nancy Yawn, director of the Round Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, says quality of life plays a role in the marketing of a region. She cites workforce issues as an example.

"Recruiting and retaining a quality workforce depends on a good educational system, including higher education and workforce training," Yawn says. "The location has to be a place where workers want to live."

In the past several years, Williamson County has attracted major companies such as Tasus Corp., a Toyota Motor Corp. supplier. The Tasus plant in Georgetown is projected to generate 205 jobs and $8.2 million in economic benefits over the next five years.

Kenneth John Gutshaw, a principal at corporate location firm Wadley Donovan Group Inc. in Edison, N.J., says quality of life is key for companies seeking to relocate their headquarters to a different city.

"Quality of life becomes increasingly more important based on the sophistication of the project," Gutshaw says.