SAN ANGELO, Texas — If you’ve driven around San Angelo and noticed a lot of construction projects in development, it’s because business-wise, San Angelo may be looking the best it has in recent years.
World Population Review reports San Angelo is currently growing at a rate of 0.97% annually and its population has increased by 11.58% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 93,200 in 2010. Spanning over 62 miles, San Angelo has a population density of 1,744 people per square mile.
San Angelo Chamber of Commerce President Walt Koenig says being proactive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to where the economy is now.
“During COVID, a lot of communities kind of pulled back. But we attacked the issues and we were very proactive in terms of how we supported our businesses, and that's really positioned this well in the post-COVID economy to really continue to expand and attract new businesses to our community,” Koenig explained.
The COSA permit and inspection reports webpage has businesses including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Smoothie King, PJ's Coffee of New Orleans, Watershed San Angelo 1 Carwash, and even a shopping center on Sherwood Way all set to be a part of issued commercial projects in the city.
Creating more housing is also being prioritized by city officials and developers.
“Getting more housing in our community at all levels, from rentals all the way up to larger homes is also in the works," Koenig said. "We have over a thousand buildable lots in the pipeline right now. We're really working hard to get those construction projects underway to support our growing needs of our workforce.”
Koenig went on to say unemployment in San Angelo is right under 3.8%, which are lower than pre-COVID numbers.
In addition to attracting more tourism in the city, more jobs and housing will be available for anyone looking to live in the Concho Valley.