According to a FinanceBuzz analysis, Lubbock managed to snag the #4 spot on Texas’ list of fastest-declining cities. Not because people are fleeing in droves (our population technically went up 1.96%), but because too many houses sit empty, home values are sliding backward, and a healthy slice of residents are drowning in debt. Basically, we’re growing—just not in a good way.
The study weighed things like unemployment, income, vacant housing, and collections debt. Turns out Lubbock’s 8.2% vacant housing rate and -12.9% drop in home value growth gave us a “Decline Score” of 61.2. Not as bad as Corpus Christi’s full-on belly flop, but enough to land us comfortably in the losers’ bracket.
For comparison, Frisco (near Dallas) was named the fastest-rising city in the country thanks to booming housing demand and population growth. Meanwhile, Lubbock can’t keep roofs filled or property values steady. But hey, at least our empty houses make great havens for raccoons and the occasional meth lab.
We’re not the worst in Texas—just one of the worst. So, should we celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the next abandoned strip mall?
Fastest declining cities
- Corpus Christi — Population change: -3.17%. The seaside city received an overall Decline Score of 64.9, with an unemployment change of -0.60%, home value growth rate of -32.4% and 46% of residents with debt in collections.
- Laredo — Population change: -2.40%. Decline Score: 62.2.
- San Antonio — Population change: -4.80%. Decline Score: 61.3.
- Lubbock — Population change: 1.96%. While Lubbock’s population change wasn’t in the negative, its high volume of vacant housing (8.2%) and negative change in home value growth (-12.9%) dragged its score down. Decline Score: 61.2.
- Houston — Population change: -0.75%. For such a large city, overall numbers aren’t terrible for Houston. One factor affecting its score, however, is a -8.5% change in per capita income compared to other cities. Decline Score: 57.5.
- El Paso — Population change: -0.63%. Decline Score: 57.2.
- Dallas — Population change: -3.28%. Dallas’ population change is one of the steepest among all of the Texas cities on this list, though many other factors help balance out its final placement. Decline Score: 54.1.
- Plano — Population change: 0.65%. Decline Score: 50.5.
- Arlington — Population change: -1.07%. Arlington’s per capita income change is among the most dramatic of the Texas cities on this list, with a -35.5% change compared to other cities. Decline Score: 48.9.
- Fort Worth — Population change: 5.18%. Decline Score: 45.7.
