Recent return from San Francisco, a dinner discussion sparked my thoughts on the economic outlook of the US region next year. While everyone is discussing Florida, New York, and California, I am more optimistic about the potential of another state—Texas.

Why do I say that? Let’s look at the data.

Among the major developed states, Texas exhibits a unique combination: GDP growth rate ranks second nationwide, the number of Fortune 1000 company headquarters is also second, but the key point is—among these four states, it has the lowest median housing price. In other words, the cost structure is more favorable, and the growth potential is greater. But this is just the surface.

The real opportunity lies below.

In the past two years, everyone has been focusing on AI chips and application layers, but few have noticed a critical bottleneck forming: data center capacity. Training and running large-scale language models require massive electricity input, and most regions simply cannot meet this demand scale. Texas is different.

The state has a set of energy systems that are difficult to replicate elsewhere—oil, solar, natural gas, nuclear energy—diverse combinations. Coupled with inexpensive available land and relatively relaxed regulatory policies, it allows for rapid deployment of new infrastructure. While California is still stuck in approval processes and the Northeast coast is repairing aging power grids, Texas has already laid the foundation for the next decade’s computing power needs.

The reaction chain here is deeper.

What does large-scale construction of data centers and energy infrastructure require? A huge workforce. We’re talking about thousands of construction jobs, operations and maintenance positions, and related service industries—and these jobs generally pay above average.

This chain is thus formed: high-paying job opportunities → increased disposable income → expanded local consumption and economic activity → more businesses and talent gathering → more employment opportunities. Texas will not only benefit from the AI wave but is also building a self-reinforcing economic expansion mechanism.

The practical significance for you.

Whether you are engaged in enterprise products, consumer goods, or financial services, Texas’s customer base is expanding rapidly—not just in quantity but also in quality upgrade. A large influx of high-income tech and energy professionals is reshaping the state’s economic structure.

If your 2026 business plan does not yet include Texas, now is the time to add it. Instead of passively waiting to see if competitors will go there, it’s better to take the initiative and seize the first move. The value of location has never been a geographical issue but an opportunity issue.