America at 250: Texas Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Lone Star State, a Former Nation and a $2.7 Trillion Economy

America at 250: Texas Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Lone Star State, a Former Nation and a $2.7 Trillion Economy

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, a state-by-state journey — from the Alamo and the oil fields to NASA’s Mission Control, Austin’s tech boom and Friday-night football — through the numbers, the history and the emergency lifelines every traveler should carry.

As the United States marks the landmark 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 — its semiquincentennial — our state-by-state journey reaches Texas: the “Lone Star State,” second-largest in both area and population and a place so vast and self-assured it was once an independent nation. Everything, the saying goes, is bigger in Texas — and by many measures, it is.

From the Alamo to the oil derricks, from NASA’s Mission Control in Houston to the technology boom of Austin, Texas blends fierce independence with staggering economic power. What follows is a fact-checked portrait drawn from official sources — the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, state agencies and federal registries — followed by the safety information every visitor to the Lone Star State should keep close at hand.

How Big Is Texas? About 31 Million People Across 268,596 Square Miles

Texas is enormous. The U.S. Census Bureau put its population at about 31,290,831 in 2024 — the second-most-populous state after California, and the fastest-growing large state in the country, adding more people than any other in recent years. It covers roughly 268,596 square miles, the second-largest state by area after Alaska; Texas is bigger than any country in Western Europe.

The state is anchored by four giant metropolitan areas: Houston (the largest city, a global energy and space hub), the Dallas–Fort Worth “Metroplex,” San Antonio, and the booming capital, Austin. El Paso sits far to the west on the Mexican border. Texas shares a roughly 1,250-mile border with Mexico, longer than any other state.

Texas’s geography is as varied as its size: the piney woods and bayous of the east, the Gulf Coast beaches, the rolling Hill Country of the center, the vast ranchland and plains of the north and Panhandle, and the deserts and mountains of the Big Bend and far west. This scale and diversity underpin its outsized economy and identity.

A Lone-Star History: An Independent Republic, Then the 28th State (1845)

Home to many Native peoples and long a part of Spanish and then Mexican territory, Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836 after the legendary battle of the Alamo in San Antonio and Sam Houston’s victory at San Jacinto. For nearly a decade, Texas was its own country — the Republic of Texas — with its own president, army and embassies, a heritage that still shapes its fiercely independent character (and the single star on its flag).

Texas joined the United States as the 28th state on December 29, 1845, an act that helped trigger the Mexican–American War. It seceded during the Civil War, endured Reconstruction, and then boomed with cattle drives and, after the 1901 Spindletop gusher, with oil — the black gold that made Texas an energy giant. In the 20th century, Houston became the home of NASA’s human spaceflight program, and the state grew into a technology and business powerhouse.

The Economy: a $2.7 Trillion GDP — the 2nd-Largest State Economy

Texas has one of the largest economies on Earth, with a GDP of about $2.7 trillion in 2024 — second only to California among U.S. states. If Texas were an independent country, its economy would rank among the eighth- or ninth-largest in the world, larger than nations like Italy or Canada.

Energy is the historic foundation: Texas is by far the leading U.S. producer of oil and natural gas (the Permian Basin is one of the most productive oil fields in the world), and Houston is the energy capital of the nation. But Texas has diversified dramatically — Austin and Dallas are booming technology centers (drawing companies like Tesla, Oracle and countless others), the state is a leader in aerospace and defense, agriculture and cattle, international trade with Mexico, and finance, and it has no state income tax, a major magnet for people and businesses.

Schools and Universities: About 5.5 Million Pupils and Longhorns and Aggies

Texas educates more students than any state but California — roughly 5.5 million K-12 public-school students — across a vast system, and “Friday Night Lights” high-school football is a cultural institution, especially in small towns.

In higher education, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University are giant flagship research universities with enormous, passionately rival fan bases (the Longhorns and the Aggies), backed by one of the largest public university endowments in the country, funded partly by state oil lands. Rice University in Houston is a top private research university, and the UT and Texas A&M systems, Texas Tech, the University of Houston and others educate well over a million students.

Hospitals and Health Care: More Than 400 Hospitals

Texas has more than 400 hospitals, and Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center — the largest medical complex in the world, with dozens of institutions including MD Anderson Cancer Center (one of the top cancer hospitals anywhere) and Houston Methodist. Dallas, San Antonio and Austin also have major academic and research medical centers.

As a huge and fast-growing state, Texas faces significant health-care challenges — it has one of the highest uninsured rates in the country and large rural areas with limited access — even as its urban centers offer world-class medicine. The Texas Health and Human Services system and the Department of State Health Services coordinate statewide programs.

Getting Around: Some of the World’s Busiest Airports

Texas is a global aviation hub. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is one of the busiest airports in the world and the main hub of American Airlines; Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) is a major United hub; and Dallas Love Field is the home of Southwest Airlines. Austin’s airport is among the fastest-growing in the nation.

On the ground, Texas has more miles of highway than any other state, crossed by interstates including I-10, I-35, I-45 and I-20. Its Gulf Coast ports — Houston is one of the busiest ports in the nation, especially for energy — and its many border crossings with Mexico make Texas a linchpin of North American trade.

Culture: The Alamo, Cowboys, BBQ and Space

Texas culture looms as large as the state. The Alamo in San Antonio is a shrine of Texas independence; the cowboy and cattle-ranching heritage lives on in rodeos and the vast ranches of the plains; and the state’s music runs from the blues and Western swing to Austin’s live-music scene (the “Live Music Capital of the World” and home of South by Southwest). Tex-Mex and Texas barbecue — brisket above all — are beloved worldwide.

Texas is also the home of American spaceflight: NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston is Mission Control (the first word spoken from the Moon was “Houston”). From the Buc-ee’s travel-stop phenomenon to Friday-night high-school football to the State Fair of Texas, the state’s culture is proud, distinctive and impossible to miss.

Sport and the Outdoors: About 11 Major Pro Teams and Big Bend

Texas is a sports colossus, home to roughly 11 major professional franchises: the Cowboys and Texans (NFL), the Rangers (2023 World Series champions) and Astros (2017 and 2022 champions) in MLB, the Mavericks, Rockets and Spurs (NBA, the Spurs a five-time champion), the Stars (NHL), and MLS clubs in Austin, Dallas and Houston. College football — Longhorns and Aggies — and high-school football are near-religious.

Outdoors, Texas offers the mountains and canyons of Big Bend National Park, the Gulf Coast beaches of the Padre Island National Seashore, the Hill Country’s rivers and wildflowers, and Palo Duro Canyon (the “Grand Canyon of Texas”). Hunting, fishing and ranching are woven into the state’s way of life.

Faith and Places of Worship: Tens of Thousands of Congregations

Texas sits within the Bible Belt, and religion is central to its culture. The population is predominantly Christian, with evangelical Protestants (especially Southern Baptists) and a very large and growing Roman Catholic population (reflecting the state’s deep Hispanic heritage and immigration) the two largest groups, alongside Methodist, Pentecostal, historically Black church and other traditions, and growing Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish communities in the big cities. Texas is home to some of the largest megachurches in the country.

Because no single official registry counts every congregation, the closest reliable measures come from religious censuses and the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data on religious organizations, which together point to tens of thousands of congregations across the vast state.

The Justice System: About 135,000 People Incarcerated

Texas operates the largest state prison system in the United States. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice holds roughly 135,000 people across a network of more than 100 prison units, reflecting both the state’s size and its historically tough-on-crime posture. Texas also carries out more executions than any other state.

The state has pursued some reentry and treatment-diversion programs, but corrections and border security remain central to its politics — including the state’s high-profile Operation Lone Star border-enforcement effort along the Rio Grande.

5 Texas Laws and Distinctions That Set It Apart

No state guards its distinctiveness more than Texas:

1. A former independent nation: Texas is the only U.S. state (besides Hawaii, a former kingdom) to have been an independent, internationally recognized republic before joining the Union — the Republic of Texas (1836–1845).

2. No state income tax: Texas’s constitution effectively bars a personal income tax, a cornerstone of its low-tax appeal.

3. Strict abortion law: Texas enforces a near-total abortion ban, including the 2021 “heartbeat” law (SB 8) that pioneered a novel private-citizen enforcement mechanism.

4. Permitless carry: Since 2021, Texas has allowed most adults to carry handguns without a permit.

5. The biggest of everything: Texas runs the nation’s largest state prison system, has the most highway miles, the longest border with Mexico, and a state pride so strong it borders on national identity.

Famous Texans: World-Changing Talent From the Lone Star State

Texas has produced an extraordinary roster of Americans. Two presidents were born in the state — Dwight D. Eisenhower (Denison) and Lyndon B. Johnson (near Stonewall) — and the Bush family made Texas its political home. In music, the state gave the world Beyoncé (Houston), Selena (Lake Jackson), Willie Nelson (Abbott) and rock-and-roll pioneer Buddy Holly (Lubbock).

In film and beyond, Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey (Uvalde), and countless athletes, astronauts and entrepreneurs call Texas home. From the cattle drive to the launch pad, from the oil field to the recording studio, the Lone Star State’s influence on America is as big as the state itself.

Who Runs Texas? Governor Greg Abbott and State Leadership

Texas’s executive branch is led by Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who became the 48th governor in 2015 and has since won re-election. A former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice who has used a wheelchair since a 1984 accident, Abbott has focused on the economy, tax cuts, border security and business recruitment.

Texas has a famously decentralized “plural executive,” in which several powerful statewide officials are independently elected — most notably the lieutenant governor, who controls much of the legislative agenda. Key members of state leadership include:

As listed by the State of Texas and the Office of the Governor (gov.texas.gov), key members of state leadership include:

Source: State of Texas and the Office of the Governor (gov.texas.gov). Texas has a plural executive in which several officials are independently elected; agency heads are appointed. Officeholders change over time.

Traveling to Texas? 1 App for Every Emergency Number

Whether you are exploring Texas during this 250th-anniversary year, following its history, or simply passing through, one piece of preparation matters more than any other: knowing who to call in an emergency. The free InfoCons app puts that information in your pocket. Its dedicated SOS section gathers the essential emergency and consumer-protection numbers for the United States and for the individual states, so travelers and residents alike can reach the right service instantly — without searching, without roaming confusion, and without wasting the precious minutes that matter most in a crisis.

Nationwide Emergency Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

Across the United States, the single universal emergency number is 911, which connects callers to police, firefighters, and ambulance services alike. For non-emergency municipal services and information in many cities, 311 is available. The app also lists 1-800-342-3377 for telecommunications complaints and 202-326-2180 for consumer-protection matters at the federal level.

Texas Emergency and Assistance Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

For Texas specifically, the InfoCons SOS section provides a detailed directory. The core lifelines are:

Police, Ambulance, and Firefighters: 911. State Police (Department of Public Safety): 512-424-2000 and 512-424-2290. Roadside assistance: 800-525-5555. Electricity emergency: 1-800-968-8243. Gas emergency: 1-800-959-5325.

Consumer protection: Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection: 512-463-2185 and 1-800-621-0508. Identity theft: 1-877-438-4338. Department of Banking: 1-877-276-5554. Department of Insurance: 1-800-252-3439. Public Utility Commission: 1-888-782-8477; gas complaints (Railroad Commission): 1-877-228-7962.

Support: Child abuse reporting: 1-800-252-5400. Domestic violence and sexual assault hotline: 800-656-4673. Animal protection: 214-742-7722. (The nationwide Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached at any time by dialing 988.)

These numbers are provided for convenience and may change over time; in any life-threatening situation, always dial 911 first.

The InfoCons Travel Passport: 1 App, 33 Languages, Every Destination

The InfoCons app is more than an emergency directory — it is designed to function as a genuine “travel passport” for the modern consumer. Available free of charge and offered in 33 internationally spoken languages, it gives users access to accurate, transparent, and independent information wherever they go. For a traveler moving between states — or between countries — that means the emergency numbers, consumer-protection contacts, and practical guidance for each destination are all gathered in a single place, ready before you even land.

The idea is simple but powerful: your safety information should travel with you as reliably as your passport does. Whether you are exploring Texas during this 250th-anniversary year or planning a trip abroad next month, the InfoCons app aims to be the first thing you check when you arrive somewhere new — helping you make informed decisions, protect your rights as a consumer, and know exactly whom to call if something goes wrong. Download the free InfoCons app and let your phone become your travel passport for a safer, smarter 250th-anniversary year and beyond.

A Fitting Way to Celebrate 250 Years of Independence

Texas’s story — of the Alamo and an independent republic, of cattle drives and oil gushers, of Mission Control and the Austin tech boom, of a $2.7 trillion economy under a lone star — is an outsized, unmistakably American chapter written on the grandest scale. As the nation marks 250 years of independence, the Lone Star State embodies the ambition, swagger and sheer bigness of the American dream.

To visit Texas is to remember the Alamo, watch a launch in Houston and hear live music in Austin. And to visit it prepared — with the InfoCons app and its emergency lifelines close at hand, valuable in a state that knows hurricanes, floods and vast distances — is simply to travel wisely. Here is to the next 250 years — happy semiquincentennial, America.

InfoCons Communication Department