Lake Jackson, Texas
Transcript of Lake Jackson, Texas
Comprehensive Competitiveness AssessmentApril 2016
Lake Jackson, Texas
Developed and Delivered By:
C16.8751.03
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Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment
April 2016
Prepared for: The City of Lake Jackson, TX
Lake Jackson Development Corporation 25 Oak Drive
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Point of Contact: William P. Yenne, City Manager
[email protected] 979.415.2400
Prepared By: Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Knowledge Engineering College Station, TX 77845
Point of Contact: Lisa Mutchler, Program Director [email protected]
979.458.6710
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for contributing their
time and expertise to the development of this plan.
Lake Jackson Stakeholder Committee
Ronald Barksdale, BASF Gary Basinger, Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County
Jeff Bilyeu, Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport Brittany Lamas, Angleton Independent School District Donald “Dude” Payne, Brazoria County Commissioner
Mayor Joe Rinehart, City of Lake Jackson Gary Rodgers, Lake Jackson Development Corporation Locke Sanders, Lake Jackson Planning Commission
Sandra Shaw, Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce Vinay Singhania, SI Group
Bob Sipple, Former City Mayor; Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce Dr. Millicent Valek, Brazosport College
Jay Whitehead, Brazosport Independent School District Chris Witte, BASF
Cindy Yell, Lake Jackson Library
Lake Jackson City Staff Michael Coon, Assistant to the City Manager Modesto Mundo, Assistant City Manger Gerald Roznovsky, City Council Member
William (Bill) Yenne, City Manager
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City and Business Leaders Anne Bartlett, Brazosport College Dorothy Brandt, Brazosport College
Al Guevara, Jr., Brazosport Regional Health Systems Jeff Kuhn, Zachry
David Marshall, Brazosport College Danny Massey, Brazosport Independent School District
Jenna Masters, Brazoria County United Way Terry McAlister, Associated Building Contractors, Inc.
Mark Monical, Infinity Maintenance Services, LP Donald Payne Jr., Brazosport College
Margaret Pratt, Dow Chemical Becky Rinehart, Merit Shop Training, Inc.; Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.
Judge L.M. “Matt” Sebesta, Brazoria County Judge Earl Shipp, Dow Chemical
Nancy Stephens, Port Freeport Sean Stockard, Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County
Jeff Strader, Port Freeport Michael Wilson, Port Freeport
TEEX Staff
John Adams, Business Development Manager Paul Guimaraes, Texas A&M University Graduate Student
Colby Humphrey, Project Specialist Lisa Mutchler, Program Director
SueAnn Palmore, Adjunct Michelle Paukett, Texas A&M University Graduate Student
Jennifer Prochazka, Adjunct Pat Wallace, Adjunct
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Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... 11
Background and Approach ..................................................................................................................... 12
Key Features of Lake Jackson ................................................................................................................. 13
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 15
Area Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 16
SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 19
Recommendations ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 21
City Government Support ...................................................................................................................... 21
Quality of Place Concentration .............................................................................................................. 22
Recommendations of New Industry and Services ................................................................................ 24
Support for Chemical Manufacturing and Petrochemical Industries ............................................... 24
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport ..................................................................................................... 25
Support for Transforming and Emerging Industries .......................................................................... 25
Other Professional Industrial Development Possibilities ................................................................. 25
Supporting Information ............................................................................................................................. 27
Baseline Assessment .................................................................................................................................. 29
Lake Jackson Community Profile ........................................................................................................... 29
Brazosport Area ...................................................................................................................................... 29
Southern Brazoria County ...................................................................................................................... 29
Lake Jackson Trade Area ........................................................................................................................ 29
Demographics ......................................................................................................................................... 30
Population .......................................................................................................................................... 30
Lake Jackson Trade Area Socio‐Economic and Demographic Information ...................................... 32
Allied Community Development ............................................................................................................... 39
Cost of Living .......................................................................................................................................... 39
Taxes ................................................................................................................................................... 40
Education ................................................................................................................................................ 43
Brazosport Independent School District ............................................................................................ 43
Brazosport College ............................................................................................................................. 46
Recreation .............................................................................................................................................. 51
Parks and Recreation ......................................................................................................................... 51
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Hike and Bike Trails ............................................................................................................................ 52
Lake Jackson Recreation Center ........................................................................................................ 53
The Wilderness Golf Course ............................................................................................................... 53
Stephen F. Austin Statue, Angleton ................................................................................................... 53
Mammoth Lake Waterpark, Clute ..................................................................................................... 54
Sea Center Texas ................................................................................................................................ 54
Lake Jackson Civic Center ................................................................................................................... 55
Lake Jackson Library ........................................................................................................................... 55
Lake Jackson Historical Museum ....................................................................................................... 55
Wildlife Recreation and Beaches ....................................................................................................... 55
The Clarion ........................................................................................................................................... 56
The Center for the Arts and Sciences, Clute ...................................................................................... 56
Housing ................................................................................................................................................... 57
Housing Demographics ...................................................................................................................... 57
Future Housing ................................................................................................................................... 59
Hotels ...................................................................................................................................................... 60
Competitiveness Assessment .................................................................................................................... 63
Land Use and Urban Growth Assessment ............................................................................................. 63
Flood Map ............................................................................................................................................... 64
Transportation ........................................................................................................................................ 65
Airports ............................................................................................................................................... 65
Port Freeport ...................................................................................................................................... 66
Rail Service .......................................................................................................................................... 67
Bus Services ........................................................................................................................................ 67
Major Roads ....................................................................................................................................... 68
Industrial Development ......................................................................................................................... 70
Petrochemical and Chemical Complex and Related Industries ........................................................ 70
Texas Dow Innovation Center ............................................................................................................ 74
Light Manufacturing and Logistics ..................................................................................................... 74
Economic and Job Trends ....................................................................................................................... 75
Sources of Economic Support and Information ................................................................................ 75
Brazoria County Economic Indicators ................................................................................................ 76
Employment and Labor Force ............................................................................................................ 77
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Leading Employers ............................................................................................................................. 81
Cluster Analysis and Growing Industries ........................................................................................... 85
Downtown Development and Retail Sectors .................................................................................... 89
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 91
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Executive Summary
There has never been a better time to be living in, working in or a part of the Brazosport area in
Southern Brazoria County. With over $35 billion in industrial development, increased housing and
lodging construction, retail and restaurant growth, and new jobs created, Southern Brazoria County is
seeing remarkable growth. The dynamic growth and expansion are moving at a fast pace creating
opportunities for City leaders and businesses to stay ahead and plan for smart growth.
Topping the list of developments, the petrochemical and chemical industries have invested more than
$35 billion to expand and/or build new facilities in Southern Brazoria County, including Lake Jackson.
Companies including Dow Chemical, Freeport LNG, Chevron, and Philips 66 have helped spur the
creation of over 6,000 total direct and indirect new jobs from completed projects since 2013 alone and
are projected to add over 2,000 new direct and indirect jobs with their future prospects and newly
announced projects combined. The current capital‐intensive and construction focus of these companies
is expected to continue for the next ten years before returning to normal maintenance turnarounds.
This will result in an increasing presence of large suppliers and contractors in the Lake Jackson Trade
Area over the next five to ten years, with an emphasis on entities in the safety and regulatory sectors.
In addition, Dow Chemical has made yet another large impact in Lake Jackson. The Company has
completed construction and moved into two of five buildings named the Texas Innovation Center, a new
Research and Development (R&D) facility, near the company’s biggest manufacturing site in Freeport.
The Texas Innovation Center replaces several R&D facilities in Freeport. This Center will support
commercialization of solutions across a series of high‐growth end‐use markets including food packaging,
personal care, furniture, and automotive. This world‐class innovation center attracts scientists and
engineers from all over the world; some of which will be in Lake Jackson for several months and others
many years. This state‐of‐art facility will be a global research and development hub of modern lab and
office facilities that employs around 2,000 people when completed. Dow Texas Operations continue to
grow and thrive in the Gulf Coast area creating many opportunities for suppliers and service industries.
Downtown revitalization continues to bring synergy to Lake Jackson. The City has invested in street and
infrastructure improvements, in addition to pedestrian, parking and streetscape advancements, creating
a much more “friendly” area. New and expanding businesses can be seen in the Downtown area which
demonstrates the return on investments.
Also reflecting new growth are the retail and service sectors, lodging and accommodations, and
residential housing construction. In 2015, the long awaited HEB grocery store opened on the east side of
Downtown. The HEB will serve as the anchor for the development to come which includes restaurants,
multi‐family housing, and shops all connected by walkways, indicating a pedestrian friendly complex.
With the nearby Kroger complex in Clute coming to completion, this area will be a magnet for shoppers
and visitors. Three new hotels are planned to be built in Lake Jackson in the near future, bringing
additional lodging, and conference and meeting room space to the bustling activity in Lake Jackson. The
Brazos Mall was purchased by new investors in 2015. Planning to reinvest over $24 million to upgrade,
this mall will attract additional businesses since it is the only major enclosed shopping mall in Brazoria
County and it has a movie theater. The Creekside Development is well underway with the construction
of over 200 homes and multi‐family housing with some wetlands and open spaces. Additionally, the
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master planned Alden Development will provide more homes, public parkland, and other amenities as
one of the largest single developments in Lake Jackson’s history.
The Knowledge Engineering Team at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is pleased to
present this completed Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment Report to provide the
City with a solid basis for analyzing future strategic planning and programs, allocating resources, and for
its future business recruitment strategy.
Background and Approach The City of Lake Jackson seeks to enhance the overall quality of life for citizens, create jobs, and
stimulate the community’s economic progression through the smart growth of the City that will make
Lake Jackson a prime destination for businesses and visitors alike.
In 2015, the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service contracted with the City of Lake Jackson to
analyze the City’s competitiveness within the local area and use their findings to develop a report
highlighting recommendations for the future planned growth and development of the City.
In order to complete this objective, TEEX members first conducted a Baseline Assessment that highlights
the identity of both the Lake Jackson community and the Lake Jackson Trade Area. After understanding
the demographics of this community and area, TEEX staff were able to analyze features that make Lake
Jackson attractive to residents, visitors, and businesses. This Allied Community Development
assessment includes an analysis of a wide range of variables that contribute to quality of life in Lake
Jackson, such as recreational facilities, housing options, retail sectors and downtown development. The
last stage of the Competitiveness Assessment was of the current and future development of Lake
Jackson. From these supporting information analysis and stakeholder meetings, a Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was developed that considers the
infrastructure in Lake Jackson, economic trends relevant to the local community, the current local
businesses and the future business development of the City. The SWOT analysis highlights points
brought up in the recommendation section that well help Lake Jackson move forward into the future.
Throughout the process, TEEX staff conducted meetings and interviews with community leaders,
stakeholders, and business leaders which helped to tailor these assessments to Lake Jackson’s specific
needs. The final recommendations are based on TEEX’s collective findings via the three assessments of
local conditions and the insights of local personnel.
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Key Features of Lake Jackson Several key findings of the report help summarize what was found while completing this Comprehensive
Competitiveness Assessment for the City of Lake Jackson:
The City of Lake Jackson was founded in 1941 by Dr. A.P. Beutel and Dr. Alden Dow under the
direction of the Dow Chemical Co. This company, as well as other related businesses, remain an
integral part of the local community today.
Population in Lake Jackson, the Lake Jackson Trade Area, and Brazoria County is projected to
continue increasing and will need to be accommodated.
Lake Jackson has established a reputation in the Brazosport Area for being at the forefront of
development and quality of life.
Property taxes in Lake Jackson are the 5th lowest in Brazoria County, making it attractive to both
current and potential residents and businesses and one of the lowest in the State for cities over
10,000 population.
The local school system, Brazosport Independent School District, is making many positive
changes and is on its way to being a premier educational system.
The nationally‐recognized Brazosport Community College provides a source of technical training
and workforce preparation for the local industries.
Lake Jackson is home to the Sea Center Texas, the Wilderness Golf Course, a variety of parks,
their own Recreation Center, and other entertainment venues.
Many of the current houses in Lake Jackson are occupied, older, and family sized, and the City is
investing in new housing to meet the unmet demand for housing in the City.
Housing data indicates Lake Jackson leaders’ focus on being a family friendly and business
friendly community is validated.
Plans underway for hotel development will greatly increase the number of rooms to
accommodate the many visitors coming to Lake Jackson.
Lake Jackson is ideally situated within several transportation hubs, including major roadways
such as SH 288, the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport, the nearby Union Pacific Rail line, and
Port Freeport.
Industrial development in Lake Jackson is primarily based on chemical manufacturing, helping to
shield the City from the effects of declining oil prices.
The chemical manufacturing and petrochemical industries have made significant capital
investments in the local area, thereby contributing to the creation of new jobs and providing
incentive for new residents and businesses to come to Lake Jackson.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Texas Gulf Coast currently serves between
300 and 400 separate contractors each month to keep up with these petrochemical and
chemical industry’s expansion and needs. This organization also partners with Brazosport
College to provide craft trainings to ensure that there is a skilled, trained workforce to
accommodate both existing and new contractors in Southern Brazoria County.
The economic vitality of the City can be realized by the fact that it maintained lower
unemployment rates than the State and County, as well as having a higher average income per
capita.
The majority of industries in Lake Jackson were meeting the City’s needs as of 2014. However,
there is a shortage of some of these important industries, such as the arts, entertainment,
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recreation, accommodation and food services sectors which are increasing in demand making
the City’s current development all the more vital.
The majority of retail sectors in Lake Jackson experience a surplus of sales each year, indicating
that the City is successfully attracting people from surrounding areas to do their shopping within
Lake Jackson.
Local businesses have acknowledged the ease of doing business with Lake Jackson, which is a
critical aspect of smart community development and growth.
Lake Jackson’s “City of Enchantment” brand has come to define the City’s image for residents,
businesses, and visitors. The brand promotes Lake Jackson’s natural assets of decades‐old trees,
large parks and history and refers to the community’s inherent uniqueness: a distinctive
downtown, cultural diversity, quality of life, business‐friendly environment, and the continuous
growth enjoyed during the past five years.
The City of Lake Jackson has many strengths and opportunities that it needs to exploit, while
remaining conscious of its weaknesses and threats.
The revitalization and increased diversity of the retail outlets in and around Lake Jackson are
assets and set Lake Jackson apart from other Brazosport Area cities.
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Introduction
Lake Jackson is located in the heart of the southeast Texas petrochemical and chemical company
industries. While other towns in the area have become industrialized with the expansion of these
companies, Lake Jackson allowed the companies to grow up around it and support the City, while they
maintain within the City the professional, executive and specialized jobs of which there is much pride.
These large petrochemical and chemical companies provide numerous opportunities for new housing
development, the attraction of retail services, and the growth of jobs in Lake Jackson and the
surrounding communities.
This assessment provides an overview to address challenges and identify opportunities for new business
attraction and economic development in Lake Jackson. The enhanced tax base growth for Lake Jackson
will help the City maintain its lower tax rates, while encouraging the retail development and expansion
that will help Lake Jackson retain its status as the “hub” of the local area.
Lake Jackson’s recent development efforts are creating a solid foundation for long‐term growth and
prosperity, including the following fundamental enhancements: Downtown revitalization, the HEB
Center, the Dow Innovation Center, the Alden and Creekside Developments, the approval of three new
hotel developments, and the Brazos Mall redevelopment. These enhancements and investments in the
local community will attract additional investments and encourage developers to add more housing and
businesses, thus increasing the City’s tax base and allowing for future reinvestment into the community.
Community leaders in Lake Jackson face challenges in planning for the area’s future including the
demand for new and affordable housing, the demand for service‐related jobs, as well as diversifying the
retail and entertainment options within the City. This diversity in what Lake Jackson has to offer is
crucial to ensuring that people will want to remain and continue to come to the City. At the same time,
preserving the spirit, history, and heritage of the community is paramount and should be a
consideration in decision making regarding issues created by growth. City enhancements are driven by
the quality of government at all levels, including citizen and local business interactions and involvement
in the planning, growth, and direction of the community. Leadership and governance are critical to
developing long‐term plans, objectives, and programs to allow the City of Lake Jackson and its Trade
Area to take advantage of existing growth and develop a sustainable plan.
The findings and recommendations that follow should serve as a snapshot outlining the key issues,
opportunities and challenges facing Lake Jackson as it sets its future course. A broad set of collected
data, interview notes, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, and
observations from both the public and private sector have been considered in this review. Awareness
that Lake Jackson is the regional hub for white collar jobs and retail entertainment should drive the
controlled, future growth of the City. By actively taking advantage of the existing industry’s investment
in the City, Lake Jackson City leaders are ensuring the sustainable and directed growth of this unique
community.
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Area Overview
Brazoria County is located on Texas’s Gulf Coast and is surrounded by four counties: Fort Bend, Harris,
Galveston, and Matagorda. Brazoria County includes cities such as Pearland, Lake Jackson, Angleton, and
Freeport, several airports, two national wildlife refuges, and many other attractions that draw visitors
and new residents to the area. Brazoria County has several major roads that keep it well‐connected to
areas of interest within and outside of the County, such as SH 288 to Houston in Harris County.
Figure 1: Brazoria County Map
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Population‐wise, Lake Jackson is the second largest city in Brazoria County after Pearland; however, Lake
Jackson is the largest city in Southern Brazoria County. Southern Brazoria County has its own uniqueness
and charm with amenities that attract people to come into Lake Jackson to shop, eat, work and play.
Lake Jackson’s City leaders asked that this Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment include the
Trade Area in addition to the City, due to the large number of people that come into Lake Jackson during
the day, but do not necessarily live in Lake Jackson.
As depicted in the map below, Brazoria County is highlighted in light orange. The Lake Jackson Trade
Area, outlined in bright red, extends into Matagorda, Fort Bend and Galveston Counties while primarily
covering the majority of Brazoria County.
Figure 2: Lake Jackson Trade Area
Source: MapTechnica
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SWOT Analysis
A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis (SWOT) of the City of Lake Jackson was
conducted in January with the Stakeholder Committee that included representatives from a cross
section of the community along with City leaders. During this free flowing discussion, the City’s greatest
challenges and most promising new markets were identified. The SWOT assessment will serve as a
measurement of current conditions and a framework in which to plan for smart, controlled growth.
The SWOT analysis is divided into four sectors to assess the Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and
Threats facing both the public and private sectors. Much of the concerns are based on the impact of the
dynamic growth of the petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, and research and development
expansions across Southern Brazoria County. High on the list are concerns for additional and affordable
housing, attracting and keeping specialized health care professionals, the lack of dining and nightlife
activities, having entertainment options for citizens of all ages, and developing the infrastructure to
handle the growing congestion particularly on SH 288. High costs associated with implementing and
monitoring proposed changes to current EPA regulations would become a burden to the City, should
these proposed changes come to fruition. Another major threat is the misperception of how the
changing price of crude oil has affected the local economy, as this makes investors and businesses
cautious when considering investing or locating in Lake Jackson and the surrounding areas.
Maintaining an active dialog with the adjacent communities and the County is of paramount importance
to ensure and capitalize on the coordination of infrastructure and transportation enhancement while
the entire County is experiencing growth. Additionally, the strong relationship and partnerships with the
local school district and Brazosport College as they expand technical, vocational, and specialized training
will provide a more robust workforce in the area. Demographics play a leading role in what amenities
are supported in an area. With Lake Jackson’s median age being somewhat older than the Texas average
(36 vs. 33 respectively) and a large group within retirement age, being attractive to young adults and
families may change the focus of features supported by the City.
The geographic location of Lake Jackson is on one hand a boon to the City and County with the strategic
advantage of being close to the coast, Houston, and Port of Freeport. However, Lake Jackson has limited
room for growth and expansion within the current city limits. Development of the current projects
underway will maximize both the development of commercial services as well as provide a wide‐range
of housing options to facilitate the continued growth. In the future, the City will have the ability to
annex all the land presently owned by the prison system and being leased out as pastureland.
The Opportunities and Strengths of the community far outweigh the challenges. The City should develop
a vigorous branding campaign to highlight the strategic location of Lake Jackson as both a destination for
businesses, and retail and hotel expansion, as well as a thriving and healthy community in which to raise
a family. The DOW Chemical Company and the expansion of its research and development activities
through the Dow Texas Innovation Center provides support to Lake Jackson and draws educated people
from other locales to the City. Spouses of these new hires and the growing labor force will present the
Brazosport College with further opportunities to expand its course offerings. These families will also
encourage Brazosport ISD to continue to redefine itself as an institution of the highest quality education.
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The Port of Freeport is also a critical strategic advantage to the community and County. Continued
dialog with the Port, Texas Gulf Coast Airport, and County will pave the way for expansion of services
and commercial development which bodes well for value‐added commercial growth and revenue for the
City of Lake Jackson. An opportunity arising near the Airport is the Alden Development which will not
only supply water and sewer services to the Airport and nearby state correctional institution, but also
consists of plans for a residential area and light manufacturing facilities.
This SWOT finds Lake Jackson well positioned to benefit as the economic climate continues to improve.
Lake Jackson is a family‐friendly, welcoming community with a strong sense of pride, whose recent and
future growth will catapult them to meet their full potential and remain the “gem” of the Texas Gulf
Coast, a community of choice to raise a family and build a full life.
Lake Jackson SWOT Analysis
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Recommendations
Overview After conducting the Baseline Assessment, Allied Community Assessment, Competiveness Assessment
for Lake Jackson, interviews with stakeholders, and on‐site visits and observations, recommendations
are made in the following general areas and expanded below:
1. Continued City Government Support
o Maintain positive relations with local businesses and industries
o Increase City branding
o Continually review land use and plan for future developments
o Provide enhanced web‐based support for businesses and residents
o Collaborate on economic development efforts
2. Enhance the “Quality of Place” in Lake Jackson
o Maintain and expand Lake Jackson’s unique cultural identity
o Engage individuals from younger generations
o Invest in infrastructure that will enhance the City’s cohesiveness
3. Attract New Industries and Services
o Focus on supporting the chemical manufacturing and petrochemical industries
o Maximize the impact of the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
o Focus on supporting transforming and emerging industries
o Consider other professional industrial development opportunities including:
Software support
Rapid prototyping facilities
A collaboration center
Day care centers
Accommodating the aging workforce
City Government Support These recommendations relate more to a city government administrative application and the overall
promotion of Lake Jackson.
Continued City government support is paramount to new and existing businesses and
engagement in initiatives that promote smart growth in Lake Jackson.
Maintaining positive relations with the local chemical manufacturing and petrochemical
industries will ensure that they continue to invest in the local area and make it more
economically attractive for new residents, job seekers, and businesses.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 22
Encourage, or provide incentives, for major contractors to outsource and sub‐contract to
third and fourth tier suppliers. Additionally, encourage suppliers heavily used by the local
industry to locate facilities in the local area.
Accent and brand the benefits of the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport to attract corporate
clients, possible maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations and high‐value critical
components from the supplier network.
Develop a branding strategy for Lake Jackson and the surrounding area to promote a diverse,
growing community and hub of technology and commercial activity which will assist in the
attraction of value‐added jobs, housing, and new investment.
Continually review current land use plans and focus future planning towards attracting value‐
added industry and services. Lake Jackson should City‐initiate zoning for commercial and
industrial land use to preserve future development opportunities that will be vital in
attracting these businesses.
Embracing technology as a tool for more efficient city management, growth, and marketing
will be economically beneficial. Helping to promote the businesses in the community via
online directories or websites, as well as providing easy‐to‐access online resources, will
improve communication efforts and assist both businesses and residents.
Due to the higher projected growth in northern Brazoria County compared to the Lake
Jackson Trade Area, the City may want to consider a northward extension of its marketing
area.
Strong consideration should be given to collaborating with the Economic Development
Alliance for Brazoria County to promote, pursue, and fulfill economic development
opportunities for the City of Lake Jackson and Lake Jackson Development Corporation. There
are numerous ways to accomplish this including The Alliance working for the City at 25% to
50% level until the City is ready to hire its own full time Economic Development Director.
This falls in line with recommendations brought forward by Carlton Schwab with the Texas
Economic Development Council in December 2015.
Quality of Place Concentration These recommendations relate primarily to areas outside of work that add to a person’s quality of life.
It is important to market Lake Jackson as a happening place, full of fun things to do ranging
from cultural activities to shopping and outdoor recreation. Embracing and promoting
important community cultural aspects including the Library, Historical Museum, Sea Center
Texas, and events at The Clarion and the Center for Arts and Sciences will add extra
motivation for those interested in coming to an already economically attractive city.
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Advertising Lake Jackson as a prime convention destination will increase the amount of
revenue the City receives from hotel tax, which can then be reinvested to bring in more
visitors. Additionally, convention visitors may take advantage of the unique retail experience
Lake Jackson offers thus increasing sales tax revenue.
With major projects underway such as the HEB Center, Alden Development, Creekside
Development, and Brazos Mall redevelopment are completed, attracting private investment
in the downtown area and beginning the exploration of the next phase of the downtown area
improvement plan should be initiated. In particular, opportunities exist for development near
the Dow Texas Innovation Center, the airport, and the Brazos Mall that can help fulfill the
need for more shopping, dining, and leisure options in different parts of Lake Jackson.
As Lake Jackson’s current population ages, the City needs to invest in venues and amenities
which young professionals value in order to engage and draw in this demographic group
which will become the City’s future. In particular, creating a more vibrant nightlife scene and
providing more multi‐generational entertainment opportunities in Lake Jackson will be
beneficial to both the City’s image and economic growth.
Helping promote and maintaining a strong partnership with Brazosport College can help
attract younger professionals and will demonstrate Lake Jackson’s commitment to quality
education and the sustainment of a skilled workforce.
Quality and affordable housing remains an additional challenge for the community to attract
young professionals; increasing the inventory of single family and multi‐family dwellings
would help to minimize this concern.
Investment in non‐motor vehicle mobility infrastructure improvements will help provide a
cohesiveness to the community and connect the retail and residential sectors. For instance,
hike and bike trails can be enhanced by features such as attractive benches, bike docking
stations, and bike repair stations. Additionally, push‐button signal changers and clear signs
for both bikers, pedestrians, and drivers can be installed to make people more comfortable
using the trails.
As development continues, re‐evaluating the public transportation system to ensure it is
meeting the community’s needs will also help keep the City connected. In particular, as
nightlife expands it would be beneficial to have the Connect Transit buses run later hours and
run more frequently during the times of the day with more activity.
As the City continues to encourage new development, it is important that existing facilities,
equipment, and infrastructure are not ignored, but continually maintained at high standards.
Giving attention to revitalizing older and underperforming areas within the City will help Lake
Jackson achieve a higher “quality of place.”
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 24
Recommendations of New Industry and Services Creating a diversified economic base is crucial for Lake Jackson to ensure that a “boom and bust”
scenario is avoided and to eliminate retail leakage from the City and its Trade Area. Historically local
businesses are culturally important and should be advertised and encouraged, while the adoption of an
entrepreneurial spirit that allows the City to embrace more emerging markets will further increase its
competitiveness and help the city prosper.
Support for Chemical Manufacturing and Petrochemical Industries Lake Jackson provides the white collar, complementary support for the chemical manufacturing and
petrochemical industries in the surrounding area that have invested over $34 billion in expansion.
Opportunities to offer additional support to these industries and related industries are jobs in the
following areas:
Environmental Engineers ‐ Help minimize and manage waste and pollution, protecting the air,
water, soil, and people from harmful chemicals
Health and Safety Engineers – Are concerned with preventing accidents and lessening
opportunities for human error in engineered environments or in engineering design
Research and Process Development Scientists ‐ Research and develop ways to manufacture
products and monitor existing processes and products for quality and efficiency
Financial Advisors ‐ Works with individuals and businesses to guide them in making budgetary,
savings and investment decisions
Consultants ‐ Inform businesses and government institutions about the myriad of applications
of chemical engineering. They act as outside contractors to supply specialized knowledge to
organizations
Medical Specialists – Includes various doctors such as, cardiologists, internal medicine,
obstetricians, ophthalmologists, surgeons, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and radiologists
Equipment Sales ‐ Supply industrial parts, materials, machinery, aircraft equipment,
construction machinery, material handling equipment, and welding equipment
Logistics ‐ Logistics includes trucking, inventory tracking, merchandise delivery, and product
storage and handling and involves the timely delivery of freight and goods from one place to
another, as well as the unloading and unpacking of this cargo
Caterers ‐ Offering food delivery services particularly to the large companies in the area
Light Manufacturing – Involves those in assembly (production operator, machine assembler,
etc.), distribution and warehouse (inventory clerk, forklift operator, material handler, etc.),
quality control (Inspector, test technician, quality control tester, etc.), and skilled technicians
(CNC operator, fabricator, welder, etc.)
Contractors Supporting Research & Development‐Includes a variety of specialty contractors
that are able to leverage their technologies and capabilities
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 25
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport should consider expanding its services to help support business
growth in Lake Jackson and attract corporate clients. Specific opportunities include:
Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Operations‐ Expand to accommodate the needs of
corporate and private customers. A full range of MRO helps to ensure aircrafts continue to
operate at peak performance, improve the value and productivity, maintain and upgrade the
attractiveness of the aircraft, and assist in meeting increasingly stringent federal regulations.
MROs are attractive and having one could help diversify the City’s workforce with more aviation,
logistics and warehousing jobs
Product Distribution Center & Intra‐Modal Container Storage‐ This will connect goods from
Lake Jackson and the surrounding communities including Port of Freeport by air, rail, or road.
Establishing an intra‐modal container storage facility to support port traffic from both Freeport
and Houston, as well as any light manufacturing which occurs at the Gulf Coast Regional Airport
will reinforce Lake Jackson’s image as a regional “hub.”
Support for Transforming and Emerging Industries Lake Jackson would benefit economically by supporting the following transforming and emerging
industries as indicated in the cluster analysis (page 83) of Lake Jackson:
Information & Information Technology
Finance and Insurance
Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Accommodation
Food Services
Educational Services
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Professional, Scientific, and Management Services
Transportation and Warehousing
Utilities
Other Professional Industrial Development Possibilities Other possibilities for professional industrial development are wide‐ranging, from business to family
support.
Software Support
Process Efficiency Optimization‐ Optimize processes for refineries or chemical processing plants
Controls‐ Includes temperature, pressure, flow rates, sample testing, reliability, and quality
controls
Safety Solutions‐ Provide solutions for temperature stability, hazardous gas leak detecting,
development of environmental clean air strategies, and emission controls
Financial Tools‐ Offer tools to economically track pipeline product movement from source to
the endpoint consumer that are not extremely expensive to purchase and manage
Traceability‐Manage traceability of chemical products from processing to the end consumer,
such as obsolescence, date coding, and inventory turns
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 26
Rapid prototyping
Prototyping‐ Provide methods to quickly create prototypes of new process equipment designs
3D Printing Solutions‐ Takes process equipment designs into 3D modeling to test concepts and
form/fit/function ability. These would be used to speed design/product development into
producible products to be manufactured elsewhere
Machining Centers‐ Support services to produce working models to be tested in a lab
environment
Environmental Test Labs‐ Provide places to stress test new design concepts with vibration, salt
spray, humidity, pressure, corrosion, or temperature durability
Collaboration Center
A collaboration center will provide a place for high‐tech professionals to meet and collaborate on
technical solutions. Additionally, it will provide a secure place for off‐site meetings and serve smaller
companies that cannot afford their own equipment. The following considerations outline set‐up and
support services for the collaboration center:
Meeting Rooms‐ Nominally sized rooms with fiber optic internet and media production facilities
Conferencing Tools‐ Supporting state, national, and international conference meetings
Security‐ Provide a high level of security and privacy that cannot be obtained in a hotel
conference room
Catering Service‐ Offering food delivery for small meetings
Taxi/Shuttle/Uber/Lyft‐ Providing transportation to/from the local airport and in the region
Partnering – with the Small Business Development Center at Brazosport College to provide
assistance to local companies/entrepreneurs
Day Care Centers
To be effective, day care centers should provide the following amenities:
Provide care year round from 7 am to 7 pm for children of professionals who work in the high‐
tech industry
Offer quality educational programs
Handle ages six months to five years of age
Provide food, such as lunches and snacks
Offer late care for those who cannot make the 7 pm closing
Accommodating the Aging Population
Based on Lake Jackson’s demographic profile, the City needs to be prepared to accommodate its aging
resident population.
Development of more retirement facilities
Establish reputable specialized health centers
Encourage retail health store development
Organized activities for fun, entertainment, exercise, and education
Recruit retail stores that older adults frequent
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 27
Supporting Information
The following sections are meant to provide verification of the statements and recommendations made
in the previous sections. The first supporting information analysis, the Baseline Assessment, highlights
the demographics of Lake Jackson and its Trade Area. The next section is the Allied Community
Assessment, which provides insight into what makes Lake Jackson attractive to residents and businesses.
Finally, the Competiveness Assessment features information on land use and transportation in Lake
Jackson, local industry information and economic trends. Altogether, these supporting documents will
be a valuable resource in convincing potential businesses and future residents to invest in Lake Jackson.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 28
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Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 29
Baseline Assessment
This section delves into the demographics and identity of the City of Lake Jackson and the Lake Jackson
Trade Area.
Lake Jackson Community Profile Lake Jackson, “gem of the Texas Gulf Coast,” is an incorporated City located fifty miles south of Houston
and eight miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, just upriver from the mouth of the Brazos River in Southern
Brazoria County as seen in Figure 1: Brazoria County Map. The City of Lake Jackson began in the 1940’s
when Dr. Alden Dow and Dr. A.P. Beutel saw potential in carving out the “City of Enchantment,” saving
as many trees as possible in the heavily wooded bottomland. Now a beautiful City with decades‐old
trees, nice residential areas, and rich history, Lake Jackson is known to be the “gem” of Southern
Brazoria County. The eighteen square miles in the City limits has been carefully planned to ensure the
City’s layout, beauty and family friendly orientation are preserved.
Brazosport Area Lake Jackson is a part of the Brazosport Area which also includes the cities of Clute, Freeport, Jones
Creek, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood and Surfside Beach. The area has its own Chamber of
Commerce, called The Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce, which supports businesses throughout
the area. The Chamber boasts that the area has 20‐plus miles of beaches with sport and commercial
fishing. In addition to the top employers noted in Brazoria County and Lake Jackson, other top
employers in the Brazosport Area include Phillips 66, BASF Corporation, Olin, and Excel.
Southern Brazoria County The City of Lake Jackson is also associated with Southern Brazoria County. Other cities included in this
geographical area are Angleton, Clute, Freeport, Brazoria, West Columbia and the smaller communities
in between these larger cities. Southern Brazoria County has its own identity compared to northern
Brazoria County. Southern Brazoria County is known to be more rural with conveniences found in urban
areas, picturesque, protective of its history and heritage, and has cities with real downtown areas,
whereas Northern Brazoria County is a part of the Houston sprawl. Lake Jackson’s proximity to Houston
can cause it to be associated with the larger city at times; however, differences in economic well‐being
and industry make‐up indicate that Lake Jackson is clearly an independent entity that has become an
economic force to be reckoned with within the area.
Lake Jackson Trade Area Lastly, being known as the “gem” of Southern Brazoria County, Lake Jackson’s Trade Area is
approximately 1,680 square miles as seen in Figure 2: Lake Jackson Trade Area. Beginning south of Farm
to Market Road 1462 (FM 1462) off of State Highway 288 (SH288), extending west to Pledger, south
beyond Bay City and Wadsworth, and east to the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge and Liverpool,
residents and businesses depend on Lake Jackson’s amenities to live, work and play.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 30
Demographics Demographics are the characteristics of a population based on factors such as age, race, sex, economic
and employment status, as well as education and income level, among others.
Population The population in Lake Jackson increased about 15.9% between 1990 and 2000, but has seen minimal
growth in the new millennium. Population counts in the last decade rose only 1.75%, an increase of only
463 people from 2000 to 2010. Considering the 2014 census estimate that shows a growth of 2.8% since
the 2010 census, Lake Jackson may currently be growing faster than in the past decade. In 30 years,
1990 to 2010, the population has increased by about 17.9%.
Figure 3: Total Population Change in Lake Jackson
Source: US Census Bureau, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 2016
In the past four decades, Brazoria County’s population grew by 85%, while the Lake Jackson Trade Area
population grew 22.8%, as seen in Figure 4: Total Population in Brazoria County and the Lake Jackson
Trade Area. The 1980 Census recorded 169,587 people in Brazoria County and 113,895 people lived in
the Lake Jackson Trade Area, a difference of only 55,692. Since then, the 2010 Census recorded a
difference of 173,324 more in Brazoria County and this difference is expected to increase to 238,835 in
2020. This indicates that the majority of population growth in Brazoria County is outside of the Lake
Jackson Trade Area, suggesting perhaps a reevaluation of where and how Lake Jackson markets itself.
22,776
26,386 26,849 27,604
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
1990 2000 2010 2014 Estimate
Lake Jackson Census Population
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 31
Figure 4: Total Population in Brazoria County and the Lake Jackson Trade Area
Source: US Census Bureau, Research360, 2015
The following table shows the demographic breakdown of Lake Jackson, compared to the Lake Jackson
Trade Area, Brazoria County, Texas, and the USA as a whole. In general, the demographics of Lake
Jackson reflect the larger entities fairly closely with the exception of Lake Jackson having a considerably
higher population density which comes with being a city. The average income per capita and median
household income are both higher than the Trade Area, County, State, and Country averages at $30,745
and $73,857, respectively. This reflects the slightly higher cost of living in Lake Jackson compared to the
surrounding communities.
Table 1: Comparative Demographics of Lake Jackson, Brazoria County, Texas, and the United States, 2014
Demographic Characteristic
Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Trade Area
Brazoria County
Texas USA
Population Density 1,390.3 99.5 231.1 96.3 87.4
Percent Male 48.6% 51.4% 50.8% 49.6% 49.2%
Percent Female 51.4% 48.6% 49.2% 50.4% 50.8%
Median Age 36.2 37.4 35.2 33.9 37.2
People per Household 2.7 2.7 2.9 2.8 2.6
Median Household Income
$73,857 $53,748 $68,008 $52,576 $53,482
Average Income per Capita
$30,745 $25,576 $29,042 $26,513 $28,555
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau, 2014, Research 360, 2015
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
1980 Census 1990 Census 2000 Census 2010 Census 2015Projection
2020Projection
County and Trade Area Population Growth
Lake Jackson Trade Area Population Brazoria County Population
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 32
Lake Jackson Trade Area Socio‐Economic and Demographic Information The City of Lake Jackson’s Trade Area is approximately 1,680 square miles beginning south of FM 1462
off of SH 288, extending west to Pledger, south beyond Bay City and Wadsworth, and east to the
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge and Liverpool.
The total population for the Lake Jackson Trade Area is just under 170,000 and is comprised of a fairly
even ratio of men to women, with only approximately 4,000 more males than females.
Table 2: Lake Jackson Trade Area Population by Gender, 2015
Source: Reserach360, 2015
The breakdown of the population shows that nearly three‐fourths of the population is white, slightly
more than 10% are black, and just under 10% are part of the “Other Race” category. The remaining few
percentages belong, in descending order, to the “Two or More Races” category, Asian, Native American,
and Hawaiian / Pacific Islander races.
Table 3: Lake Jackson Trade Area Population by Race, 2015
Source: Reserach360, 2015
Race and ethnicity are separated and categorized independently by the US Census. Hispanic is
considered an ethnicity. Table 4: Lake Jackson Trade Area Hispanic Population, 2015 gives the
breakdown of the entire population by Hispanic ethnicity. This shows that nearly one‐third of the Lake
Jackson Trade Area population is Hispanic, compared to the remaining two‐thirds of the population that
identifies as non‐Hispanic.
Table 4: Lake Jackson Trade Area Hispanic Population, 2015
Hispanic Population (2015)
Number Percent
Hispanic 53,511 32.00%
Not Hispanic 113,637 68.00%
Total 167,148 100.00% Source: Reserach360, 2015
Population by Gender (2015)
Number Percent
Male 85,926 51.40%
Female 81,222 48.60%
Total 167,148 100.00%
Population by Race (2015)
Number Percent
White 123,364 73.9%
Black 19,508 11.7%
Asian 2,491 1.5%
Native American 1,026 0.6%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 35 0.0%
Two or More 4,376 2.6%
Other Race 16,071 9.6%
Total 166,871 100.00%
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 33
Below, Figure 5: Lake Jackson Trade Area Population by Age, 2015, gives a solid estimate of the number
of people considered the typical working age: 20 to 64. It shows that roughly 60% of the population in
the Trade Area is of the working age, with more than 10% being older than 65, and less than 30% being
younger than 20.
Source: Reserach360, 2015
The most recent data from 2015 indicates there are 5,500 employment establishments and more than
60,000 employees in the Lake Jackson Trade Area.
Table 5: Lake Jackson Trade Area Daytime Population, 2015
Source: Reserach360, 2015
The number of families in the area is slightly more than 43,000, with the average family household size
being a little over 3 people. There are under 18,000 non‐family households and the average non‐family
household size is just over 1.5 people.
Table 6: Lake Jackson Trade Area Family Statistics, 2015
Families (2015)
Families 43,049
Average Family Household Size 3.06
Households: Non‐Family 17,596
Average Non‐Family Household Size
1.55
Source: Reserach360, 2015
Daytime Population (2015)
Establishments 5,525
Employees 61,080
Age 0‐1928%
Age 20‐6458%
Age 65+14%
Population by Age
Figure 5: Lake Jackson Trade Area Population by Age, 2015
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 34
The median household income is calculated by arranging all the incomes in ascending order and
selecting the income which occurs in the very middle; this number comes out to roughly $54,000 for the
Lake Jackson Trade Area. The average household income, however, is about $69,000 and the average
family income is just under $80,000. Per capita income, which is calculated by adding all incomes
together and dividing by the total number of people, is slightly more than $25,000.
Table 7: Lake Jackson Trade Area Income Statistics, 2015
Income (2015)
Median Household Income $53,748
Average Household Income $68,941
Average Family Income $79,288
Per Capita Income $25,576 Source: Applied Geographic Solutions, 2015
The following is a breakdown of households by income in the Lake Jackson Trade Area. More than 50%
of household incomes are $59,999 or less per year, with the two most common ranges being between
$75,000 to $99,999 and $100,000 to $124,999 per year.
Figure 6: Lake Jackson Trade Area Households by Income, 2015
Source: Applied Geographic Solutions, 2015
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
Households by Income
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 35
Of all the households in the Lake Jackson Trade Area, nearly two‐thirds are owner occupied, one‐fourth
are renter occupied and the remaining 10% are vacant.
Figure 7: Lake Jackson Trade Area Households by Tenure, 2015
Source: Applied Geographic Solutions, 2015
The largest percentage of households are family households, with nearly 80% being in this category.
Non‐family households account for more than 15% of households in the Trade Area, while the remaining
5% represent group quarters. Group quarters include places such as college residence halls, residential
treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, and
workers’ dormitories.
Table 8: Lake Jackson Trade Area Population by Household Type, 2015
Population by Household Type (2015)
Number Percent
Family 131,926 78.90%
Non‐Family 27,332 16.40%
Group Quarters 7,891 4.70%
Total 167,149 100.00%Source: Applied Geographic Solutions, 2015
Owner Occupied61%
Renter Occupied29%
Vacant10%
Households by Tenure
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 36
The total labor force for the Lake Jackson Trade Area is 130,650 people, which is broken down into
roughly 60% who are in the labor force and the remaining 40% who not in the labor force, as indicated
in Table 9: Lake Jackson Trade Area Labor Force, 2015.
Table 9: Lake Jackson Trade Area Labor Force, 2015
Labor Force (2015)
Number Percent
Labor Force 76,724 58.70%
Not In Labor Force 53,926 41.30%
Total 130,650 100.00% Source: Reserach360, 2015
Of the 76,724 people in the labor force, 95% are employed, slightly less than 5% are unemployed, and
the remaining tenth of a percent are in the armed forces.
Table 10: Lake Jackson Trade Area Labor Force Employment Status, 2015
Labor Force Employment Status (2015)
Number Percent
In Armed Forces 46 0.10%
Employed 72,963 95.10%
Unemployed 3,715 4.80%
Total 76,724 100.00% Source: Reserach360, 2015
The following figure, Figure 8: Lake Jackson Trade Area Educational Attainment, 2015, depicts the
breakdown of the educational attainment of those in the Lake Jackson Trade Area. This figure indicates
that over 25% of people have a high school degree and more than 20% having experienced some
college, although only 10% have obtained a bachelor’s degree and slightly less than 10% have completed
a graduate degree.
Figure 8: Lake Jackson Trade Area Educational Attainment, 2015
Source: Reserach360, 2015
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
< Grade 9 Grades 9‐12 High School SomeCollege
AssociateDegree
BachelorsDegree
GraduateDegree
Educational Attainment Age 25+
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 37
As can been seen in the figure below, Management, Sales, Office and Administrative, Construction and
Extraction, and Production related jobs make up the majority of all jobs in the Lake Jackson Trade Area.
In particular, the Office and Administrative sector provides more than 14% of all jobs.
Figure 9: Lake Jackson Trade Area Occupation by Percentage, 2010
Source: Reserach360, 2015
8.40%
2.80%
1.20%
2.90%
1.60%
1.20%
0.60%
6.30%
1.30%
2.30%
1.50%
2.30%
1.20%
2.10%
5.70%
4.20%
2.60%
8.60%
14.20%
0.80%
9.80%
4.70%
8.10%
2.90%
2.60%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
Management
Business and Financial Operations
Computer and Mathematical
Architecture and Engineering
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Community and Social Service
Legal
Education, Training, and Library
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners
Health Technologists and Technicians
Healthcare Support
Fire Fighting and Prevention
Law Enforcement Workers including Supervision
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Personal Care and Service
Sales and Related Occupations
Office and Administrative Support
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Construction and Extraction
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Production
Transportation
Material Moving
Occupation Breakdown
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 38
Nearly half of all people in the Lake Jackson Trade Area have a 19 minute or less travel time to work,
whereas slightly more than 15% have a travel time of 45 minutes or more.
Figure 10: Lake Jackson Trade Area Travel Time to Work, 2010
Source: Reserach360, 2015
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
Travel Time to Work
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 39
Allied Community Development
Development of this Competitiveness Assessment is divided into three parts: Baseline Assessment,
Allied Community Development and Competitiveness Assessment with recommendations. The Baseline
Assessment summarizes currently existing demographics and socioeconomic conditions, whereas the
Allied Community Development examines factors which may influence and attract businesses and
residents. When examining places to live and work, individuals evaluate the cost of living, educational
and recreational opportunities, and housing supply, in addition to a community’s demographic and
socioeconomic conditions. Through this process, access to quality education, an area’s ongoing
innovation, and the community’s thriving business opportunities thrust the Lake Jackson area into a
prime place to locate.
Cost of Living Cost of living is the amount of money required to sustain a certain level of living, including every day
expenses such as food, healthcare, and housing. The rating is based on the national cost of living
average of 100, with anything below 100 resulting in a lower cost of living and anything above 100
resulting in a higher cost of living. The cost of living in Lake Jackson is exactly at the state average of 89,
but is slightly above the average for the surrounding communities and higher than the Brazoria County
average of 82.4. The expensive portions of Lake Jackson’s index are health, utilities, transportation, and
miscellaneous. The miscellaneous category covers the cost of living of those goods and services not
included in the other cost of living categories, including clothing, restaurants, repairs, entertainment,
and other services.
Table 11: Incorporated Cities in Brazoria County Cost of Living Index Rating
Source: Sperling’s Best Places, 2015
2015 Cost of Living Based on US Average of 100
Lake Jackson 89 Iowa Colony 88
Alvin 85 Jones Creek 85
Angleton 84 Liverpool 81
Bailey’s Prairie 73 Manvel 100
Bonney 76 Oyster Creek 73
Brazoria 84 Pearland 97
Brookside Village 92 Quintana 85
Clute 81 Richwood 87
Danbury 81 Surfside Beach 87
Freeport 79 Sweeny 84
Hillcrest 96 West Columbia 85
Holiday Lakes 69 Average for Brazoria County 82.4
Texas 89
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 40
Taxes Lake Jackson has the fifth lowest tax rate in the county, following the Town of Quintana, Village of
Bailey’s Prairie, City of Liverpool, and the City of Oyster Creek. The rate of $0.36 per $100 is the lowest
tax rate this City has seen in the past decade and its neighbors Angleton, Richwood, Clute, and Freeport
all have tax rates between about 1.8 times to 2.2 times higher than Lake Jackson’s rates. While these
cities have also seen a slight decline in tax rates since 2012, Lake Jackson has the most pronounced
decrease at 7.69%, with the City of Clute being a far second with a decrease of 1.93%. This decrease in
the rate can be contributed to an increase in the cumulative value of local land, which was $1.65 billion
in 2015 for the total property valuation within the city limits. This should be encouraging for both
businesses and families considering Lake Jackson as a place to settle with cost conscience City leaders.
Source: The Brazoria County Appraisal District, 2015
Lake Jackson is serviced by Brazosport ISD, which has the third lowest school tax rate in Brazoria County
at $1.26 per $100. Additionally, there is a tax rate of $0.28 per $100 for Brazosport College. The City is
located in the Velasco Drainage District which has the second lowest Drainage District tax rate in
Brazoria County at $0.09 per $100. Other taxes to consider are the Brazoria County Tax, currently at
$0.43 per $100, the County Road and Bridge Fund tax rate of $0.06 per $100, and the Brazos River
Harbor Navigation District Tax of $0.04 per $100. Altogether, the aggregate tax rate is $2.51 per $100.
Figure 11: City Tax Rates
$0.84
$0.72
$0.79
$0.66
$0.80
$0.65
$0.41
$0.50
$0.36
$0.22
$0.58
$0.33
$0.71
$0.74
$0.84
$0.83
$0.97
$0.01
$0.07
$0.53
$0.41
$0.38
$0.0 $0.2 $0.4 $0.6 $0.8 $1.0 $1.2
City of Alvin
City of Angleton
City of Brazoria
City of Clute
City of Danbury
City of Freeport
City of Hillcrest Village
City of Iowa Colony
City of Lake Jackson
City of Liverpool
City of Manvel
City of Oyster Creek
City of Pearland
City of Richwood
City of Sweeny
City of West Columbia
Town of Holiday Lakes
Town of Quintana
Village of Bailey's Prairie
Village of Brookside
Village of Jones Creek
Village of Surfside
2015 Tax Rates in Brazoria County
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 41
Source: The Brazoria County Appraisal District, 2015
The Type B sales tax is a state‐authorized ½‐cent addition to the local sales tax which generated $2.75
million in revenue in the 2014 to 2015 fiscal year. This is a 59% increase in revenue from the fiscal year
1999 to 2000. This revenue goes to the City’s Economic Development fund, administered by the Board
of Directors of the Lake Jackson Economic Development Corporation (LJDC), for projects that have
included park and recreation improvements such as the outdoor pool and Wilderness Golf Course, as
well as infrastructure improvements including the HEB retail center and airport water extension. Since
2007, the City of Lake Jackson has invested over $28 million to support local economic growth and
improve the City’s “quality of place” through recreational and civic investments such as these. One
important note on the use of revenues from this sales tax is that in 1995 Lake Jackson voters restricted
the use of this fund to only be used for the types of improvements described above in order to
encourage new or expanded business enterprises, rather than all the purposes allowed by state law
which would have expanded usage to promotional activities and hiring paid economic development
staff.
0.00%0.20%0.40%0.60%0.80%1.00%1.20%1.40%1.60%
School Taxes
Figure 12: School Tax and Brazoria County Drainage District Tax Rates
0.00%
0.05%
0.10%
0.15%
0.20%
0.25%
0.30%
0.35%
AngletonDrainageDistrict
VelascoDrainage
District (LakeJackson)
BrazoriaCounty
Conservation&
ReclamationDistrict #3(Alvin)
BrazoriaCountyDrainageDistrict #4(Pearland)
BrazoriaCountyDrainageDistrict #5
(Iowa Colony)
BrazoriaCountyDrainageDistrict #8(Danbury)
West BrazoriaCountyDrainageDistrict #11
Drainage District Taxes
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 42
The total sales tax in Lake Jackson is $8.25 per $100, which is the highest allowed by the State and the
same as nearby cities like Clute, Freeport, and Angleton. In fact, the annual revenue from sales tax was
51% higher in 2014 at $5.23 million compared to the revenue received in 1999 and it is projected to
increase in the future as Lake Jackson’s economy continues to expand. This revenue growth reflects Lake
Jackson’s presence as the local trade center in the area and its downtown development efforts. In
particular, Lake Jackson’s sales tax revenue has been increasing significantly due to a growth in retail
and service sectors in areas including groceries and lodging. The increased economic activity in Lake
Jackson as a whole provides a larger tax base that allows for the City to better serve its people by
providing additional valued public services and improving infrastructure. These amenities will, in turn,
lead to a magnified cyclical effect of economic growth in the community and attract new people and
businesses to the area. Successful community development will also encourage private sector
businesses to invest in the City, thus helping to pay for its growth and limit the burden of funding risk for
these public improvements within the City. Overall, the lower tax rates in Lake Jackson add to the
competitiveness assets found in the City.
Figure 13: Taxes and City Growth Cycle
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 43
Education Education is an integral part of every community. For many families, the decision on where to live is
dependent upon the quality of education in the area, despite other attractions a city may have.
Additionally, the presence of a community college can draw people to the area and provide a channel
for community education opportunities that can enhance residents’ quality of life, making education an
even more important factor in a community’s assessment.
Brazosport Independent School District Brazosport Independent School District (BISD) serves the cities, towns, and villages of Lake Jackson,
Clute, Freeport, Jones Creek, Oyster Creek, Quintana, Richwood, and Surfside Beach. It is comprised of
11 elementary schools, two middle schools, three intermediate schools, two high schools, and one
alternative school; of which four elementary schools, one middle school and one intermediate school
are within Lake Jackson city limits. For the 2014‐2015 school year, BISD served 12,411 students. Of those
students more than half were Hispanic, slightly more than a third were white and less than 10% were
black or African American. The Texas Education Agency reports that 55.2% of the students were
economically disadvantaged versus the state average of 58.8% and BISD had half the typical amount of
English language learners than the state average, at 9.1% and 18.2% respectively. A full breakdown of
the demographics in the following figure.
Figure 14: 2014‐2015 Demographics of Brazosport ISD
Source: Texas Education Agency, Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), 2014‐2015
Based on multiple metrics, Brazosport Independent School District is at the state average or better for
the majority of criteria. The only area of concern is the lower STAAR percentage met or exceeded, which
is 8% below the state average. Otherwise BISD is at the state average or above, especially for the
average SAT and ACT scores, and has shown improvement in scores over the past year.
Black or African American
8%
American Indian or Alaska Native
1%
Asian
Hispanic52%
Native Hawaiian/Other or Pacific Islander
0%
Two or More Races2%
White35%
Demographics of BISD
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 44
Table 12: 2014‐2015 Brazosport ISD Key Metrics
Brazosport Independent School District BISD Region State
Longitudinal Graduation Rate 87.1% 87.8% 88.3%
STAAR Percentage Met or Exceeded Progress 49% 58% 57%
Average SAT (2014) 1454 1405 1417
Average ACT (2014) 22 21.3 20.6
Economically Disadvantaged 55.2% * 58.8%
English Language Learners 9.1% * 18.2%
Average Years of Experience of Teachers 9.9 * 11
Average Teacher Salary $51,942 * $50,715 Source: 2014‐2015 Academic Excellence Indicators, Texas Education Agency (* Data unavailable)
Based on the Student and Community Involvement rating compiled by the Texas Education Agency of
the entire Brazosport ISD, BISD received a rating of 2.9 or “recognized,” which is the second highest
possible rating category. If schools located strictly in Lake Jackson are considered, then the rating
balloons up to 3.45, still a rating of “recognized,” but nearly exemplary. When the two high schools are
added, the rating drops slightly to 3.22, but it is still a strong rating, indicating quality education is
available to students with much student and community involvement in Lake Jackson.
Table 13: 2014‐2015 Student and Community Involvement Rating and Score Card
Student and Community Involvement Final Rating Rating Score
Fine Arts Exemplary 4
Wellness and Physical Education Exemplary 4
Community and Parent Involvement Recognized 3
21st Century Workforce Development Program Acceptable 2
Second Language Acquisition Program Acceptable 2
Digital Learning Environment Code Acceptable 2
Dropout Prevention Strategies Exemplary 4
Education Program for GT Students Acceptable 2
Overall Rating: Recognized 2.9 Source: 2014‐2015 Texas Education Agency
Key:
Exemplary 3.6 to 4.0 points
Recognized 2.6 to 3.5 points
Acceptable 1.8 to 2.5 points
Unacceptable less than 1.8 points
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 45
With the recent hiring of Superintendent David Massey, Brazosport ISD has been actively changing the
perception of the district. Outreach in the community has been strong through social media,
presentations, meetings, and one‐on‐one encounters. Community partnerships have been strengthened
which increases student learning experiences through internships, sponsorships, and other types of
assistance. Mr. Massey led the effort of creating a marketing campaign with four main themes:
1. Brazosport ISD students receive a high quality education;
2. In addition to academics, a variety of learning experiences are offered – extracurricular
activities, clubs, athletics, music, art, career and technology, robotics, internships, mentoring,
etc.;
3. The school is comprised of many caring, compassionate staff – raised the salary levels and
amount of support given to the teachers, the districts most valued ambassadors; and
4. There is much community pride ‐ students, parents, teachers and the communities.
The Brazosport ISD website’s “Braggin!” Headlines section highlights accomplishments of students and
teachers. This weekly newsletter praises accomplishments in all areas including, but not limited to,
academic performance, swimming, service projects, teacher recognition, robotics, community
partnerships, student council, band, and athletics.
In 2015, a multi‐million dollar bond election was passed permitting bond funds to be used to upgrade
half of the elementary school buildings in the district. Lake Jackson students will be served by all newly
renovated elementary school buildings. Additionally, the district received more money last year allowing
for teacher raises and more campus support. The teacher salaries are now in the top 10% of the state.
Mr. Massey reported that not only are the City leaders easy to do business with, the school district
offers the second highest number of Chapter 313 agreements in Texas, which give tax abatements to
businesses in the school district. Another example of collaborative partnerships is with Dow. Through
this collaboration, Dow provides mentors for the 11 of the 19 schools in the district that have a robotics
program. Last year, Brazoswood High School placed first in the state at the robotics competition.
The ISD works closely with Brazosport College in developing courses, urging students to further their
education, meeting the job demands of local industry, and in offering dual enrollment courses. Dual
enrollment of students is offered at both high schools and at the College for students living in Lake
Jackson and Clute. Students have the opportunity to earn certificates and associate degrees, allowing
them to move directly into a career. In 2015, five seniors graduated with their associate’s degree, while
many others had earned some college credit hours.
Brazosport ISD is playing a leading role in strengthening local talent to bridge the gap between high
school, higher education and industry. Students who graduate from BISD, whether through their Career
and Technology program or general education, are more prepared for college entry or the workforce
than in years past.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 46
Brazosport College Brazosport College is a public community college in Southern Brazoria County that offers certificates,
associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. The majority of the College is in the Lake Jackson city limits with a
few buildings in the city limits of Clute, however people from all over the state, nation and world attend
Brazosport College. Of the 4,077 enrolled in the Spring 2015 semester, 24 students were from states
outside of Texas and three students came from foreign countries.
Enrollment numbers for the past 10 years show an increase of 11.4%, as can be seen in Figure 15:
Brazosport College 10‐Year Enrollment. In addition to credited courses, the College offers a variety of
community education programs serving youth and adults. Programs include non‐credit, workforce
training, healthcare and personal enrichment classes.
Note: Reflects numbers of regular, for‐credit students.
Source: Brazosport College Board of Regents Report Fall 2015
During the Fall and Spring semesters Brazosport College enrolls around 5,000 students in both for‐credit
and non‐credit programs. During the first summer session over 2,000 students are typically enrolled,
while only 1,000‐plus students enroll in the second summer session.
Table 14: Brazosport College 5‐Year Enrollment
School Year Fall Spring Summer I Summer II Total Enrollment
2011‐2012 5,089 5,534 2,500 1,158 14,281
2012‐2013 5,054 5,054 2,201 1,279 13,588
2013‐2014 4,990 4,961 2,427 1,234 13,612
2014‐2015 4,995 5,136 2,152 1,560 13,843 Note: Includes those enrolled in the For‐Credit and Non‐Credit Program
Source: Brazosport College Registrar's Office
3,500
3,600
3,700
3,800
3,900
4,000
4,100
4,200
4,300
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Number of Studen
ts
Fall Semester Enrollment
Figure 15: Brazosport College 10‐Year Enrollment
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 47
In both 2013 and 2015, Brazosport College was a top 10 finalist for the Aspen Prize for Community
College Excellence, a national competition overseen by The Aspen Institute in Washington, DC. The
Institute’s mission is to foster good leadership values and provide a neutral, or non‐partisan, venue for
handling critical issues. The selection committee for this award considered performance data, learning
improvements, graduation rates, workforce outcomes, and equitable outcomes for demographically
diverse students of over 100 institutions who were eligible for the prize.
According to the Aspen Institute’s press release of the 2015 finalists, Brazosport College has a very high
retention rate from first to the second year at 84% which can be attributed to its well‐designed financial
aid process and student academic support services like tutoring. They also applauded the school’s post‐
graduation statistics which show that those employed one‐year after graduation earn 43% more than
other new hires in the region, approximately $47,320, which increases to $67,340 or 38% more than
other workers in the region five years post‐graduation. Another highlight was the College’s partnership
with the petrochemical and chemical industry in the area, so much so that Dow Chemicals has moved its
new employee preparation program to the school.
The percentage of students receiving Pell Grant Aid is essentially half the Texas average percentage
receiving such aid. However, the average tuition and fees per year for Brazosport College are slightly
below the Texas average at $2,295, making it an affordable choice for a quality education. The school
reported a total amount of financial aid awarded for the 2014‐2015 school year, including summer
sessions and federal aid, to be $4,772,994.52
Table 15: Costs of Attending Brazosport College
Cost Brazosport College Texas Average
% Students Receiving Pell Grant Aid 17.8% 35.1%
Average Tuition and Fees Per Year $2,295 $2,339
Source: Texas Higher Education Accountability System
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 48
The largest percentage of Brazoria County students in the 2015 Spring semester are Lake Jackson
residents, although they do not comprise the majority of students on campus. These numbers remailn
fairly consistant thoughout the year, except in the second summer session when Lake Jackson residents
account for 43% of the regular, for‐credit enrolled students. These percentages are for regular, for‐
credit enrolled students only.
Figure 16: Brazosport College students from Brazoria County
Source: Brazosport College Registrar's Office
Angleton18%
Brazoria8%
Clute14%
Danbury1%
Freeport13%
Lake Jackson31%
Sweeny5%
West Columbia4%
Other Residence6%
Spring 2015 Student Residence
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 49
In 2004, Brazosport College received Legislative authority and accreditation status to offer the Bachelor
of Applied Technology program (BAT); one of three community colleges (out of 50) with this authority.
Students graduating from this program earn their Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Management.
According to Dr. Dorothy Brandt, Professor and Division Chair of the Bachelor of Applied Technology
Program, the College began offering BAT courses in 2005 with about a 20% growth each year in number
of students enrolled. Currently, there are a little over 200 enrolled in BAT with approximately 55
graduating each year. Most of the students work and go to school simultaneously, thus the online
course option is most popular. To be accepted into the program, students are required to have a two
year Associate’s degree with acceptable grades and then are required to complete their upper level
courses while in the program. Dr. Brandt reported about 20% of the students earn their degree in two
years while it generally takes three‐four years to finish since most of the students attend part‐time.
Brazosport College is tied to industry and has been very responsive to industry demand. With the large
petrochemical and chemical industries presence and expansions, the need for a more trained workforce
played a key role in business operations. Industry leaders assisted Brazosport College in getting
legislation passed to offer the BAT program. Students in the BAT program at Brazosport College are
fortunate in that projects completed while in school, directly relate to actual work place events and
most have built in mentors with the company in which they work. Through this program and the
college’s trade programs, Brazosport College participates in the regional workforce initiative that
prepares students for careers in the local petrochemical industries, known as the Community College
Petrochemical Initiative. This initiative is funded by a grant from ExxonMobil and nine community
colleges throughout Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast area participate. Additionally, Brazosport College
is part of UpSkill Houston, an initiative that focuses on closing the skills gap in the Houston Area through
workforce training for “middle skills” careers that require more than a high school education, but less
than a four‐year college degree. Its key objectives are to train, place, retain, and attract individuals to
skilled professions in seven locally important sectors, including the petrochemical industry.
In 2014, Brazosport College was granted approval to offer a Bachelor of Health Services Management
degree. This degree prepares students for management positions in health care or medical facilities. The
College currently offers an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. With the proximity to large medical facilities in
Houston, and the new partnerships recently established with the Angleton Danbury Medical Center and
the University of Texas Medical Branch (now UTMB Health Angleton Danbury Campus) and Brazosport
Regional Health System and Chatholic Health Initiatives, Brazosport College is definitely preparing
students to work in the local heatlh care industry. The current Health Services Management program
has about 30 students enrolled with six planning to graduate in May 2016.
According to the Gulf Coast Workforce Solutions, openings in the health care industry are expected to
increase double digits by 2020 (see Table 19: Gulf Coast Region Top 20 Fastest Growing Industries 2012‐
2020) and Health Care and Social Assistance is also identified as the leading service sector for job growth
(see Figure 43: Gulf Coast Regional 2012‐2022 Job Projections). In addition, the Gulf Coast Workforce
Solutions identifed nurses as a high‐skilled, high‐growth targeted occupation for the area. Brazosport
College is hoping to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in the future to fill the nursing gap,
however currently the State has chosen not to view the BSN as an applied degree under the College’s
current legislative authority.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 50
Plans to increase enrollment and visibility for the BAT according to Dr. Brandt include reinvigorating
marketing efforts, hosting information sessions, and target marketing in the Houston area. The school is
exploring other programs to offer under the Applied Technology umbrella based on industry demand.
Compared to the Texas average, Brazosport College has more Technical students which reflects the local
industry needs.
Figure 17: Brazosport College Student Majors vs. Texas Majors, Academic vs. Technical
Note: BC Data is based on Spring 2015 values. BAT program is technical based.
Source: Texas Higher Education Accountability System, Brazosport Registrar’s Office, 2015
Academic Majors57%
Technical Majors39%
BAT Program4%
Brazosport College Majors
Academic Majors71%
Technical Majors29%
Texas Majors
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 51
Recreation Opportunities for recreation and quality education in Lake Jackson are crucial quality of place
characteristics, especially for people with children or those planning to have families. There must be
sufficient outlets in these areas in order to keep people from leaving Lake Jackson for entertainment and
make it a place residents will want to raise a family. Additionally, recreational activities will help make
Lake Jackson worthwhile to visit for non‐residents.
Parks and Recreation
Lake Jackson Parks and Recreation recognizes 10 pocket parks, 10 neighborhood parks, and two
community parks throughout the City. By definition, pocket parks serve small neighborhoods and are
under three acres such as Yaupon Park. Neighborhood parks serve residents within one‐fourth to a half‐
mile of the park and, therefore, tend to have more acreage than the pocket parks, with the largest in
Lake Jackson being the 18‐acre James F. Crews Park. Community parks are available to all residents and
offer a wider selection of activities, but focus on serving those within one to two miles of the park. For
example, the 84‐acre McLean Park and Youth Sports Complex includes a fitness trail, lighted basketball
court, pavilion, picnic tables, sand volleyball and tennis courts, soccer and softball fields, and a stage
with lighting. This park is located next to the Lake Jackson Recreation Center which hosts area sports
teams. Dunbar Park is another community park, located at the intersection SH 288 and FM 2004, and
features BBQ pits, a disc golf course, lighted football field, backstop, picnic tables, a playground and
pavilion located on its 75.5 acres. Altogether, there is a total of 270.9 acres of parkland, setting Lake
Jackson above the midrange recommended acreage of parkland per 1,000 people by the National
Recreation and Park Association. Additionally, two Regional Parks, Dow Centennial Bottomlands and
Wilderness Park, add 832 acres of land to the Lake Jackson park system. Parks are available for
reservation and several, such as Madge Griffith Park and MacLean Park, are located within walking
distance of area schools.
Source: Lake Jackson Comprehensive Plan Draft, 2015
Figure 18: Existing Park Service Areas
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 52
Hike and Bike Trails Pedestrian and bike paths are an important way to keep a community connected, more accessible, and
decrease traffic congestion. Additionally, such trails can be used for recreational purposes that will help
increase resident’s quality of life. The City’s Comprehensive Master Plan outlines Lake Jackson’s
developmental goals through 2020 and recommends that walking and bike paths are provided within
buffer zones along waterways, along all arterial roads and along major drainage canals. These initiatives
and the safe use of these paths are overseen by the Hike and Bike Committee, in association with Lake
Jackson’s Parks and Recreation Board. According to 2011 update of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master
Plan, the City has a total of 26 miles of existing trails, comprised of about nine miles of hard‐surface
trails, six hard surface jogging tracks located at neighborhood schools, nearly seven miles of soft surface
off‐road trails, and almost nine miles of six foot wide sidewalks in high pedestrian traffic areas. There are
currently five suggested longer recreational biking routes along the roadways in Lake Jackson, in
addition to eight city trails in popular areas such as Brazosport College and MacLean Park. Once the 19
planned miles of trails are completed, Lake Jackson will have about 45 miles of hike and bike trails
linking important community points including nine parks, schools, health centers, the Sea Center, the
Mall and Downtown. To enhance the trail system, points to consider include the construction of
attractive benches, bike docking stations, and bike repair stations throughout the City. To ensure safety
along these routes, push‐button signal changers and clear signs for both bikers, pedestrians, and drivers
should be installed.
Figure 19: City Trails in Lake Jackson
Note: Red stars represent area schools. Solid red lines are city trails.
Highlighted route is the Wilderness Park Trail.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 53
Lake Jackson Recreation Center Figure 20: Indoor Recreational Pool
The 65,500 square foot Recreation Center in Lake Jackson
offers both residents and visitors a chance to get fit every
day of the week all year round. It features a full size
gymnasium with two full courts for sports such as basketball
and volleyball, a weight training room, four racquetball
courts, two indoor swimming pools, a spinning studio, and
two multipurpose rooms. Adult group fitness classes are
offered using both live instructors and Fitness on Demand, a
system that utilizes hundreds of instructional exercise videos
for every level in everything from dance to kickboxing. Those
with family memberships can take advantage of the KidZone
which offers childcare weekdays 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm for children ages six months to seven
years old. Youth programs available at the Recreation Center include summer camps for both sports and
special interest activities like robotics. Year round group and private swim lessons are provided, along
with Lifeguard and CPR training. From late May to September, an outdoor pool is available daily for the
community’s enjoyment. Facilities can be rented for special events and easy access to MacLean Park
puts the Recreation Center in an ideal location.
The Wilderness Golf Course Completed in 2003, this public 18‐hole Wilderness Golf
Course offers opportunities for everyone to both learn and
play the game. Tournaments and benefits are held at the
course throughout the year, in addition to a summer camp
for youth golfers. Yearly passes are available and regular
rates for the course vary by age, time of play, and residency,
with a special discount given to Lake Jackson residents. The
driving range is open daily from 7 am to 5 pm and the golf
shop remains open until 6 pm. The course was designated as
a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2007, meaning
that it helps preserve and enhance the wetland habitat
around it. In both 2014 and 2015, it was ranked the fourth best course in Texas by Golf Advisor based on
reviewer’s submissions. It also received accolades in 2015 from Golf Advisor that placed this course as
#20 for friendliest course in the US, #23 for best course conditions in the US, and overall #41 in the US
on the Best of Golf Advisor list.
Stephen F. Austin Statue, Angleton Located off of SH 288 in Angleton lies the ten acre William Munson Park. This
park recently became the first historic‐themed park in the Brazoria County
Parks Department System, with its major attraction being a 70 foot tall
statue of Stephen F. Austin that acknowledges the area’s rich history. This
park also includes a lake shaped like Texas and a 900 foot “Walk of Honor”
for those who have helped shape Brazoria County’s history. Admission is free
and the park is open 24 hours.
Figure 21: Wilderness Golf Course Clubhouse
Figure 22: Stephen F. Austin Statue
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 54
Mammoth Lake Waterpark, Clute Figure 23: Scuba Divers
The Mammoth Lake 55‐acre underwater park opened in 2008 and
is the largest scuba‐diving specific lake in the US. Maximum Scuba
is a full service scuba diving shop on site that is a five‐star
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) training
center. Mammoth Lake offers Scuba courses and PADI certification
opportunities, as well as the opportunity for certified divers to
explore over 70 diving wrecks including fire trucks and planes. It is
open every day year‐round, with temperatures ranging from 85°F
to 51°F due to seasonality, and allows for diving up to 61 feet with
10 feet to 30 feet of visibility. People can also enjoy swimming,
kayaking, training for triathlons, and stand‐up paddle boarding.
Primitive camping and trailer camping with full utilities are
available. There is also an indoor heated pool that can host swim
lessons, parties, and independent dive training classes.
Sea Center Texas Figure 24: Touch Tank
Sea Center Texas is a 75‐acre marine aquarium, fish
hatchery, and education center that opened in 1996
using funds from The Dow Chemical Company, the
Coastal Conservation Association, and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and is currently operated by the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department. Highlights include a
“touch tank” and aquariums exhibiting Texas habitats
including wildlife from the salt marsh, jetty, reef, and
open Gulf. It boasts the largest redfish hatchery in the
world, with the capability of producing up to 15 million
juvenile fish each year. Its wetland area, with a one‐
acre salt marsh and a three acre freshwater marsh, is
part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Various free tours include a tour of the hatchery, wetland
exhibit tours, a Storytime tour for younger kids, and a self‐guided tour of the visitor center. Educational
activities and materials are available, school visits are encouraged, and a summer camp is available.
Three times a year a youth catch‐and‐release fishing event is held. The Andrew Sansom Youth Fishing
Pond is stocked and available on a limited basis for young anglers to reserve for use. Additionally, fly
fishing and tying workshops for beginners are offered several times throughout the year. Sea Center
Texas is open 9 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sundays, while closing for major
holidays and occasionally for special events. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 55
Lake Jackson Civic Center
Opened in 2000, the Lake Jackson Civic Center boasts a 1,100
square foot senior center, 4,500 square foot terrace room,
7,100 square foot ballroom, 900 square foot conference
room, and three plaza meeting rooms, each about 1,100
square feet. Additionally, there are two outdoor plazas, one
with a stage and mini‐band stand and another with two
fountains, a trellis, and a life‐size chessboard. Spaces can be
rented both individually, or the entire facility can be rented
out with rates that vary depending on residency, military
status, and day of the week. The facility’s summer hours are
10 am to 8 pm daily.
Lake Jackson Library The Lake Jackson Library offers both physical and e‐books, movies,
and music. Additionally, access to online databases is provided for
members. The Library hosts some special events like Family Fun
Night and book club, primarily for younger kids. It opens at 10 am
Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays.
Lake Jackson Historical Museum The 12,000 square foot Historical Museum focuses on the local
history of Brazoria County and, specifically Lake Jackson. Visitors
can choose to attend an hour long tour or walk through the
museum alone. Other sites associated with this museum are the
Alden Dow Office site and a Plantation site. The main museum is
open 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday and is closed Sunday
and Monday. It can be rented either daily or hourly for special
events, such as weddings or receptions, as the museum features
a 2,400 square foot rotunda that can accommodate 200 standing
or 150 seated.
Wildlife Recreation and Beaches The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory is open to visitors Monday to
Friday from 9 am to 4 pm and primarily features hiking and
birdwatching. Brazos Bend State Park is located in nearby
Needville, TX and offers six lakes for fishing, hiking trails, and
camping. Hunting, fishing, and educational programs are also at
the Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area, San Bernard
National Wildlife Refuge, or the Brazoria National Wildlife
Refuge. Beaches in the Brazosport Area include Surfside Beach,
Bryan Beach, and the 51‐acre Quintana Beach County Park. These sandy beaches are ideal for family fun
outdoor recreation including shell collecting, surfing, sunbathing, camping, fishing, and boating.
Figure 26: Library Entrance
Figure 27: Museum Entrance
Figure 28: San Bernard NWR
Figure 25: Civic Center Plaza
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 56
The Clarion The Clarion is a Musical Performance Center at Brazosport College that is
celebrating its 10th year anniversary with the 2015‐2016 Performance
Season. The 29,000 square foot Clarion includes rehearsal halls,
individual practice rooms, classrooms, faculty offices, a two‐story lobby,
and a 600‐seat performance hall. It offers quality performances from
world‐class performers in a variety of musical genres, in addition to
hosting local college, high school and community bands and choirs, such
as the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra. For Brazosport area students
ages 8 to 18, Klassical Kids offers an opportunity to audition to work with
faculty from the Brazosport Department of Music and perform a live
concert that is also taped for airing on BCTV.
The Center for the Arts and Sciences, Clute Founded in 1976, the Brazosport Center for Arts and Sciences is located next to Brazosport College, just
across the border in Clute, and offers a variety of educational and entertainment options. This facility is
owned and operated by the non‐profit Brazosport Fine Arts Council; therefore, with the exception of a
small staff, this facility is entirely volunteer‐driven. The Brazosport Center for Arts and Sciences was
listed as one of Texas’s best museums in Frommer’s Travel Guide in 2015.
The Center’s Planetarium features shows, space images, and interactive computer stations and displays.
There is a small fee to see shows in the 30 foot dome theater, with a 72 person capacity, while lobby
displays are free. Those in 11th and 12th grade at BISD can take a full credit astronomy course that meets
in the planetarium two days a week.
The Center’s Art League features 10 art shows annually that highlight both internationally recognized
and local artists. The Art Gallery in the Center is open from 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday thru Saturday and 2
pm to 5 pm on Sundays, as well as before and during the intermission of Center Stage performances. An
Art Studio provides space for art classes and
workshops, such as an oil and pastel class.
The Brazosport Museum of Natural History at the
Center of Arts and Sciences is celebrating its 50th
anniversary in November 2016. It is free and open
Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 2
pm to 5 pm. It features five exhibit halls with
exhibits of malacology, paleontology, archaeology,
minerals, and wildlife.
Center Stages offers musical performances for a fee. Its DOW Arena Theatre has 199 seats and the
Freeport LNG Theatre holds about 395 people. In addition to performances and special events, youth
workshops are available and school visits to the Center of Arts and Sciences are encouraged.
Figure 30: Museum of Natural Science
Figure 29: The Clarion
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 57
Housing Housing availability, quality, and affordability are all important aspects that people and businesses
consider when deciding where to live and work. In particular, businesses want to grow in a place where
they can get their employees to come and live. Cities need to consider that housing must be accessible
to people of varying demographics and price ranges.
Housing Demographics Although the majority of the homes in Lake Jackson were built prior to 2000, many are built in the
notable Frank Lloyd Wright style. Lake Jackson has been working to provide more modern housing
though new developments including Alden and Creekside that will be attractive to potential new
residents. These efforts are noted in the Brazoria County Appraisal District records which show that on
January 1, 2016 there were 8,409 single family residences, whereas one year before in 2015 there were
8,392 of these residences in Lake Jackson. One‐unit detached houses are the most commonly seen in
the City. The majority of householders have moved into their units since 2000, reflecting the current
draw to Lake Jackson and its strong housing demand.
Census Bureau estimates from 2014 indicate that the total number of housing units in Lake Jackson is
around 10,892 with only 8.3% of housing units being vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.4%,
whereas the rental vacancy rate is 8.6%, further indicating housing and rental markets in Lake Jackson
do well. The Census Bureaus’ 2014 estimates valued over three‐fourths of the occupied units in Lake
Jackson between $50,000 and $199,999, with 19% valued above $200,000. The average market
appraised value of a home on January 1, 2015, according to the Brazoria County Appraisal District office,
was $166,473. This corresponds to the median listing price for all properties in Lake Jackson, including
land and multi‐unit residents, based on current data from National Association of Realtors website of
$218,000 with a median closing price of $169,000. Additionally, the median price per square foot is
currently at about $100, up from $90 a year ago in 2015.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2014
Figure 31: Housing Values in Lake Jackson
Less than $50,0003%
$50,000 to $99,99920%
$100,000 to $149,99930%
$150,000 to $199,99928%
$200,000 to $299,99913%
$300,000 to $499,9995%
$500,000 or more 1%
Housing Values
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 58
According to Sperling’s Best Places, the average rent in June 2014 was about $610 for a studio
apartment, $740 for a one bedroom home or apartment, $910 for two bedrooms, $1,240 for three
bedrooms, and $1,540 for a four bedroom home or apartment in the City. In general, these rates are
less than the average US rental rates. The National Association of Realtors currently has about 115
listings of homes for sale and only about 8 homes for rent in Lake Jackson on their website. For single
family houses, condos, and townhomes the median amount of days they are listed on the market in
March 2016 is 29 days, down from 45 days in March 2015. This drop in the average number of days on
the market in the last year reflects the increasing demand for homes in Lake Jackson.
Figure 32: Lake Jackson Households by Tenure 2015
Source: SitesOnTexas, 2015
Household composition data from 2014 estimates reveals that over 65% of Lake Jackson households are
family households, with the majority being married‐couple families. Those with families tend to own the
houses they live in rather than renting them, whereas the majority of non‐family households are
renters. This corresponds to the fact that over 65% of occupied homes are owner occupied, with around
65% holding a mortgage. Most households are at least comprised of two people, but it is more common
to find larger households than this in Lake Jackson. For this reason, most houses in the City are family‐
sized, three bedroom housing units with the median number of rooms for all units being 5.6 in 2014.
Children in these households are primarily aged 6 to 17 years, meaning that they are school‐aged and
the area school system will be an important decision factor for the parents. Overall, these statistics
show that Lake Jackson should continue to focus on being a “family‐friendly,” as well as a “business‐
friendly” community.
Owner Occupied66%
Renter Occupied30%
Vacant4%
Lake Jackson Households by Tenure
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 59
Source: US Census Bureau, 2014
Future Housing Housing Lake Jackson residents into the future requires a viable range of competitive residential options,
including those that accommodate the needs of executive‐level talent attracted to Lake Jackson as
industry continues to grow, but also those that offer affordable housing options to young families.
Due to Lake Jackson’s location in the region, the workforce has a greater deal of flexibility on where they
choose to live and work into the future. When communities fail to adequately address housing
demands, large segments of the workforce may choose to commute in from outside of the city. In some
cases, cities are unable to attract the skilled labor force needed to attract quality industry to the
community.
Based on demographic trends, a variety of new housing product types are appropriate as Lake Jackson
continues to grow. Lake Jackson has low vacancy rates for rental housing, making unit turnover slow,
and affordable and attractive options limited. New rental housing units, multi‐family in particular,
should be located in proximity to industry and schools.
There is also a low inventory of quality and/or affordable for‐sale housing options in Lake Jackson.
Construction of new housing units has been limited over the past decade or more. Between January and
November 2015, Lake Jackson issued 35 new residential permits, an increase from the 12 new
residential permits issued in 2014. At the same time, new residential permits in Brazoria County as a
whole increased by 266 permits in 2015. Housing the growing population will require significant new
construction to bolster the housing supply and provide desired housing options to the workforce that
Lake Jackson seeks to attract.
For a city of its size, Lake Jackson is projected to grow at a considerable pace over the next five years,
consistent with recent‐past growth trends. Closing the gap between the supply and demand of quality
and affordable housing options should continue to be a priority to Lake Jackson officials. Land
development standards should be reviewed to ensure that increased cost of development does not
make affordable housing options scarce.
Figure 33: Household Size in Lake Jackson
1 person25%
2 person34%
3 person16%
4+ person25%
Household Size in Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 60
Additional housing options such as master‐planned housing communities, mixed‐use development,
work‐live units, and other creative housing options should continue to be explored and encouraged as
an attractant to a younger, high‐tech and executive workforce. The current developments underway,
Creekside Crossing and Alden, are examples of housing options needed in Lake Jackson. These two
developments will provide over 1400 homes and over 500 multi‐family units to the rising population and
labor force of Lake Jackson. With the explosive industrial development underway, these homes will help
meet the demand in the near future.
Hotels There are currently 6 hotels within the city limits that can accommodate different traveler’s budgets.
The more expensive hotels that charge $100‐plus per night include Comfort Suites, Candlewood Suites,
and Best Western Plus Lake Jackson Inn & Suites. Travelers on a budget can be accommodated at the
Cherotel Grand Mariner Hotel, Clarion Inn, or at the Super 8 Lake Jackson/Clute. Future hotels that have
been recently approved for construction include a Courtyard by Marriott, La Quinta del Sol, and
Staybridge Suites.
The number of rooms available in Lake Jackson increased by 12.4% from 2014 to 427 rooms in 2015.
During this same time, room revenue increased by 63.4% to $7,788,000. Comparatively, Angleton,
Freeport, and Clute had no change in the number of hotel rooms while their room revenues increased
by 31%, 22.3%, and 22.3% respectively.
Source: Source Strategies, Inc. 2015
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Alvin Angleton Clute Freeport LakeJackson
Manvel Pearland SurfsideBeach
WestColumbia
Number of Rooms
2015 Rooms
Figure 34: Hotel Rooms in Brazoria County
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 61
Source: Source Strategies, Inc. 2015
All hotels are currently located off of SH 288, with the majority being in the south part of town. The
Total Hotel Tax is 13% (City and State) and these funds can be used by the City to attract visitors. By
increasing the number of rooms available in Lake Jackson and the associated revenue, more money will
be collected for reinvestment in the community’s future. For this reason, Lake Jackson now offers a
hotel occupancy tax reimbursement as incentive for those looking to build high quality hotels in Lake
Jackson that will attract conventions and tourists, given that they meet a list of requirements for the
hotel’s design.
$‐
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
$14,000,000
$16,000,000
$18,000,000
Alvin Angleton Clute Freeport LakeJackson
Manvel Pearland SurfsideBeach
WestColumbia
Room Reven
ues
2015 Room Revenues
Figure 35: Hotel Room Revenues in Brazoria County
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 62
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Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 63
Competitiveness Assessment
Land Use and Urban Growth Assessment Lake Jackson was designed by Alden Dow in the early 1940s as a master‐planned community for workers
of the Dow Chemical Company plant. Lake Jackson has grown over the past 70 years from a 5,000‐acre
bedroom‐community to a 20.9 square‐mile city with distinctive park‐like features dominating the public
realm.
Lake Jackson’s landscape is enhanced by the Brazos River and Buffalo Camp Bayou to the southwest,
and Oyster Creek bisecting the community from east to west. With over seven percent of the City’s total
area being water and a significant amount of additional land located in the floodplain, Lake Jackson’s
natural features will continue to be an asset as the community develops over time.
Much of the City is currently developed into single‐family residential subdivisions. While this is not
unusual for a community of this size, Lake Jackson’s housing stock is aging with only a limited number of
new single‐family homes developed over the past decade. An appropriate mix of single‐family and multi‐
family housing exists in the City, however all housing opportunities are in need of expansion.
Limited entitled commercial and industrial opportunities currently exist in Lake Jackson. Entitled land is
defined as land that has undergone all, or most, of pre‐development processes such as zoning and
platting and is ready currently ready to be developed. However, the rejuvenated area marketplace has
helped spur an increase in building permits. Between January and November 2015, Lake Jackson issued
47 new commercial permits, an increase from the 37 new commercial permits issued in 2014. This sets
Lake Jackson apart, as Brazoria County as a whole decreased in the number of new commercial permits
issued in 2015. The commercial permits in Lake Jackson accounted 96.5% of the total 2014 total annual
permit value of $161.5 million. The total permit value increased over 400% in 2014 from the 2009 to
2013 annual average of $301.1 million dollars.
SH 288 / SH 332 run through Lake Jackson from north to south, with its intersections with Oyster Creek
Drive and FM 2004 creating significant interchanges. A significant amount of frontage along these
roadways has been developed with single‐family residential subdivisions in the past. Retail development
exists downtown and along the SH 288 frontage, but with limited commercial on the City’s east side.
Industrial land uses are concentrated in the southern portion of the City, currently. As Lake Jackson
continues to grow and develop, preservation of key commercial and industrial land will be paramount in
attracting business to the area.
Much of the zoning of undeveloped areas in Lake Jackson continues to be for single‐family residential
homes, allowing development of single‐family subdivisions by‐right, including along key corridors such
as SH 288 and at key existing and future intersections. In absence of a rural or agricultural district that
may be used as a holding zone, Lake Jackson should City‐initiate zoning for commercial land use to
preserve future development opportunities.
Past annexations along SH 288 have been key in protecting future development activities and controlling
gateway aesthetics. As Lake Jackson continues to grow in population, a focus should also be placed on
geographic growth through annexation of contiguous properties for both gateway protection and future
population growth accommodation.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 64
Alden, a planned 1,000‐acre mixed‐use project along Oyster Creek that includes Traditional
Neighborhood Design is one of the largest single development in Lake Jackson’s history. The project
includes 125 acres of public parkland and significant additions to Lake Jackson’s housing stock. Alden is
adjacent to the airport and includes significant low‐lying areas, but has been master‐planned in a
manner to enhance these natural and acquired assets.
Flood Map When choosing where to build new developments and locate new businesses in Lake Jackson, it is
important to consider potential flood risks. By avoiding development in these areas, or finding smart
ways to develop them, the City will avoid future problems and expenses that may arise due to natural
phenomena beyond their control.
The Creekside Development is circled by Oyster Creek, next to Brazosport College, while the Alden
Development is located in the loop of Oyster Creek near the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport.
According to the most recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate
Map created in 1986, both areas are considered areas of Zone X outside of the 500‐year flood plain.
However, potential flooding could occur right along Oyster Creek, in Zone AE, for both developments.
Lake Jackson has adopted new floodplain development criteria. FEMA has given a verbal approval of the
floodplain updates and the City is waiting on written approval from FEMA.
Source: Flood Insurance Rate Map, FEMA, 1986
Figure 36: Lake Jackson Flood Map for Creekside (Left) and Alden (Right) Developments
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 65
Transportation Lake Jackson and the Lake Jackson Trade Area are ideally situated within several transportation hubs,
including the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport, major roadways such as SH 288, SH 332, and FM 2004,
and the Port of Freeport with access to the Union Pacific’s rail service. These ports of connectivity place
Lake Jackson in a key location for the transport of valuable goods and make it easier for businesses to
bring people into the area.
Airports
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport is a Certificated Class IV Reliever Airport located one‐mile north of
Lake Jackson’s city limits, 40 miles south of Houston, 12 miles north of Port Freeport and less than a mile
west of State Highway 288. The airport is in the extra territorial jurisdiction of Lake Jackson as seen in
Figure 13, Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport map. It is owned and operated by Brazoria County.
Figure 37: Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
Source: Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 66
The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport is a full service Fixed‐base Operator (FBO) providing aeronautical
services such as fueling, hangaring, parking, courtesy cars, ground and passenger handling, piston and
turbine maintenance, flight instruction, aircraft rental, and rental car services.
The 7000x100 foot runway is frequently used by corporate companies located in or near Lake Jackson
including the petrochemical refineries, chemical manufacturing, plastics and agro science industries,
Ports of Freeport and Houston and the medical center of Houston. Additionally, the newly renovated
Airport lobby and offices offer comfort, relaxation and privacy for pilots and passengers. The 12
employees of the Airport provide travelers information about local attractions and accommodations and
readily accommodate meetings in their state of the art conference room.
The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport is poised to grow with the rapidly growing south Houston area
and surrounding communities. Acreage around the Airport is best suited for aviation and non‐aviation
related businesses and for residential neighborhoods, such as being planned with Alden Development.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is located approximately 73 miles north in Houston and
is the 11th busiest airport in the US for total passenger traffic. IAH offers services to nearly 200 different
destinations all over the world. All major airlines fly into and out of IAH.
William P. Hobby Airport
The William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is closer to Lake Jackson at 51 miles away and opened an
international terminal complex in 2015 serving Mexico, and Central and South America. The prior year,
over 11 million passengers flew to Hobby Airport using its passenger service airlines, the largest being
Southwest Airlines. Passengers can fly to cities all across the US in addition to the international locations
mentioned.
Port Freeport The Port Freeport is minutes away from Lake Jackson. The Port’s trade with the world totaled over $6
billion through the first 11 months of 2015 according to WorldCity Magazine. This same year, the Port
ranked 27th among US ports in international cargo tonnage handled. The top five Port of Freeport
imports are oil, ammonia, bananas, petroleum gases, and iron or steel structures and parts. Topping the
list of exports are motor vehicles, oil, gasoline, epoxides and polyethers.
With the planned deepening of the channel by 2017, the Port hopes to capitalize on the increased
transporting of goods coming and going through the Texas Gulf Coast. With easy access to the Port via
State Highways 36 and 288, Union Pacific Railroad and direct access to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway,
the Port can be attractive to businesses interested in importing and exporting goods. Additionally, the
Port is an Alternative Site Management Framework Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) for Brazoria and Fort Bend
Counties. This allows them the authority to approve Usage Driven FTZ in both counties including Lake
Jackson.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 67
Rail Service The Union Pacific Railroad operates commercial rail lines in Southern Texas that are capable of shipping
a variety of cargo, from chemicals to finished consumer goods. This railroad has a terminal at the Port of
Freeport Public Docks that handles general cargo and containers which can be directly transferred from
ships to the rail cars. This line cuts through Lake Jackson near Brazosport College before heading north
toward Angleton and Houston. Another set of tracks coming from the West passes near Lake Jackson on
the west side of the Gulf Coast Regional Airport. Although there are currently no rail stops in Lake
Jackson, both area lines run nearby the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport where the opportunity for a
transfer exists. In 2014, Union Pacific had over 6,000 miles of tracks throughout Texas and the company
operates in 23 states in the Middle and Western United States. Additionally, Union Pacific has
relationships with other railroads and transportation companies to ensure that products can be virtually
sent anywhere. This presents the opportunity for Lake Jackson and its businesses to become more
connected and competitive.
Bus Services The Gulf Coast Center (GCC) has offered bus service to
the Lake Jackson community through Connect Transit
for nearly six years. Demand curbside services are
offered between 7 am and 5 pm weekdays and cost
$1 per person per trip for the general public; although
trips to the Harris County Veteran’s hospital cost
$3.50. Reservations can be made up to five business
days prior to the trip. This bus service can be used for
any transportation need within Brazoria and
Galveston Counties, except on certain holidays and in
severe weather.
Known as the Southern Brazoria County Transit,
Connect Transit’s fixed daily routes service Lake
Jackson, Angleton, Freeport, and Clute. Passengers
can travel set routes within the City, as well as
connect to one of the other serviced cities with
transfer locations at Angleton City Hall, Brazosport
College, and Baywood Foods in Freeport. In 2014, Connect Transit began ADA Paratransit Service which
picks up disabled individuals within three‐fourths of a mile of the fixed route system. Bus shelters,
benches, and information kiosks are available at these transfer centers and locations with high
passenger traffic. One way fares are $1 for the general public and $0.50 for seniors over 65, students,
those with disabilities or a Medicaid card; children under five are free. The buses run weekdays 6 am to
6 pm and 9 am to 7 pm on Saturdays in Lake Jackson, stopping at each stop every hour. These buses can
be used as a reliable work commute option or be used to reach entertainment centers, such as the Mall.
If stores stay open later in Lake Jackson with the revitalization of the Downtown and there is a sufficient
increase in demand for the buses, Connect Transit would be willing to expand their services.
Figure 38: Gulf Coast Center Map
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 68
Major Roads Brazoria County, Lake Jackson and the Lake Jackson Trade Area consists of five major area highways.
Travel on these thoroughfares has increased exponentially as a result of the current economic
investment and expansion occurring in Southern Brazoria County. These existing thoroughfares are
unable to handle the increased traffic thus resulting in light congestion.
State Highway 288 (SH 288) corridor is critical for everyday travel and emergency evacuation in the
southern Harris‐Brazoria County region. Also known as the Nolan Ryan Expressway, SH 288 serves many
communities along this north‐south route from Houston to the Gulf Coast City of Freeport. It provides
important access to numerous residential subdivisions, businesses, and major employment centers
including numerous large industrial and petrochemical and chemical facilities. At present, a feasibility
study evaluated SH 288 and necessary upgrades necessary to handle this increased traffic flow via
converting SH 288 into a freeway facility along its entire length, which will require the elimination of at‐
grade intersections and construction of grade separation (overpasses/underpasses) from FM 518
(Pearland) and Main Street in Clute. The highest reported daily traffic counts along this road in Lake
Jackson are over 48,000, which increased by over 8,000 vehicles from the previous year. Congestion in
Lake Jackson‐Angleton leads to nine annual hours of delay per auto commuter, according to the 2015
Urban Mobility Scorecard. Additionally, the section of SH 288 in the Lake Jackson and Freeport area
have the highest risk of serious crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
State Highway 332 (SH 332) is another heavily traveled thoroughfare in Southern Brazoria County which
handles both commuter and cargo traffic. SH 332 begins at SH 36 in Brazoria and heads east into Lake
Jackson. A portion of SH 332 runs concurrent with SH 288 through Lake Jackson before separating
outside Clute and finally ending in Surfside Beach. Traffic counts on SH 332 directly after it crosses FM
2004 are about 14,000 cars per day. On the other end, after it splits with SH 288 below the City, traffic
counts per day are over 20,000. The Texas Department of Transportation is currently planning for a
major expansion of SH 332 from SH 288 west to FM 521. This will add travel lanes in each direction for
the length of the designated distance.
Farm to Market 2004 (FM 2004) begins near the Village of Jones Creek and the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Clemons Unit. The route travels northeast, crossing the Brazos River and enters
Lake Jackson, where it intersects SH 332 and then the SH 288 expressway north of the Brazos Mall. FM
2004 travels through Richwood and then traverses into Galveston County ending in Texas City. FM 2004
has experienced a significant increase in traffic traveling to and from work in the Lake Jackson Trade
Area. FM 2004 had traffic counts of less than 6,000 where it enters the City from the south, but over
11,000 cars enter Lake Jackson daily on FM 2004 from the north.
State Highway 36 (SH 36) begins in Freeport and ends in Goldthwaite, TX and serves as a major road
transporting cargo and commuter traffic. In Brazoria County, SH 36 starts in Freeport, passing through
Brazoria, West Columbia, and Damon before entering Ft. Bend County.
State Highway 35 (SH 35) begins in southeast Houston and ends in Corpus Christi and traverses through
Angleton in Southern Brazoria County. SH 35 also serves a major road transporting both cargo and
commuter traffic.
Farm to Market 521 (FM 521) – Begins in Bay City and heads north through Brazoria, Bonney, Rosharon
and ends just southwest of Manvel.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 69
Farm to Market (FM 1462) begins at SH 35 just south of Alvin traveling westward through Rosharon to
SH 36 just north of Damon. FM 2004 traffic has also increased significantly as the greater Houston
population continues to move south of Houston.
Figure 39: Map of Major Transportation Hubs near Lake Jackson
Note: Blue lines indicate Union Pacific Rail Lines
Source: Google Maps, 2016
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 70
Industrial Development Due to its proximity, Lake Jackson is considered part of the Greater Houston area. However, the
industrial breakdown of each do not mirror one another. Houston has a prominent oil and gas industry
while Lake Jackson has a prominent chemical manufacturing industry. The recent collapse in oil prices
has brought Houston’s robust job growth to an abrupt halt, while at the same time Lake Jackson has
been experiencing positive economic and job growth. This oil collapse not only affected oil and oil
related companies, but has also seen a negative effect on supporting industries such as finance and
insurance, engineering, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation, warehousing, and professional
and technical services. Since Lake Jackson’s industrial development is based primarily on the chemical
manufacturing, the City has not seen the effects of declining oil prices. However, lowering oil prices have
been a mixed bag for chemical manufacturing companies. The industry in general sells at lower prices in
an environment where oil prices are low. The recent decline in global oil prices is causing some
petrochemical supply chain destocking, but is also sowing the seeds for better economic conditions,
lower petrochemical prices and improving global demand.
Of concern is the Environmental Protections Agency’s (EPA) proposed Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA) will challenge future growth by increasing manufacturing costs by developing new ozone
regulations, putting growth at risk. The EPA estimates the cost impact will range from $4 billion up to
$15 billion if emission standards are lowered. Its passage would cause a negative ripple effect
throughout all industry.
Petrochemical and Chemical Complex and Related Industries Since being founded to provide housing for chemical workers over 70 years ago, Lake Jackson has
blossomed to provide much more than just housing. The major employer in the area is Dow Chemical,
and Freeport LNG, Phillips 66, and BASF also add a large number of jobs as well. Lake Jackson provides
the white collar, complementary support for these chemical manufacturing and petrochemical
industries. Suggested opportunities will be addressed in the Recommendations section under
“Recommendation of New Industry and Services.”
In 2011, Lake Jackson, Clute, and Freeport all signed a 15 year Industrial District Agreement that allows
for annual payments to be paid to the cities by these major industrial players in the Brazosport area so
that their industrial facilities are not annexed into the cities. These payments have built‐in annual
increases and allow for more effective planning and budgeting by the City and businesses. In the 2015 to
2016 fiscal year, Lake Jackson will receive $4.28 million from this agreement. To obtain this amount of
revenue without the Industrial District Agreement, Lake Jackson would have to increase property taxes
to over $0.60 per $100, which would strain local homeowners and businesses and hurt the local
economy.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 71
These companies have made and continue to make significant capital investments in Southern Brazoria
County and the Lake Jackson Trade Area through a variety of different projects currently underway or
projected through 2020, as seen in the subsequent two tables. Through these expansions, companies
including Dow Chemical, Freeport LNG, and Philips 66 have helped spur the creation of over 6,000 total
direct and indirect new jobs from completed projects since 2013 alone and are projected to add over
2,000 new direct and indirect jobs with their future prospects and newly announced projects combined.
Additionally, these expansions have brought in around 10,000 construction workers and contractors
who have contributed to the local economy. As these companies move forward, they will be adding at
least $10.2 billion in additional capital investment in the area, on top of the $25.665 billion they invested
in the completed projects since 2013. Such investment in the local area will make the Lake Jackson and
its Trade Area more enticing to potential new residents and businesses.
Source: The Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County, 2016
Announced* and Serious Prospects in Brazoria County
Company & Location
Project Description
Projected Construction Finish &
Start Dates
Est. New Capital
Investment
Total Direct & Indirect New Jobs
BASF Corporation Freeport
Methane‐to‐Propylene Plant 2016 – 2019 $1 Billion 311
C3 Petrochemicals Alvin
Propane Dehydrogenation Plant 2017 – 2019 $2.8 Billion 471
*Dow Chemical / MEGlobal Oyster Creek
Ethylene Glycol Plant 2017 – 2019 $1 Billion 172
Fair Energy Richwood
Waste to Biodiesel Unknown $25 Million 117
*Freeport LNG Quintana/Oyster Creek
Natural Gas Liquefaction ‐Train 4
2016 – 2020 $3 Billion 282
HCS Group Manvel
Purchase & expand Existing Chemical Plan, Add 60‐Acre Business Park
2015 ‐ 2016 $20 Million 25
INEOS‐Alvin Linear Alpha Olefins Plant 2016 – 2018 $550 Million 376
Phillips 66 Sweeny
Fractionation of Natural Gas Liquids‐Frac 2
2016 – 2017 $1.1 Billion 141
Project Augusta Fiberglass Storage Tanks Unknown $2 Million Unknown
Project Carl‐Alvin Ethylene Oxide Plant Unknown $700 Million 283
TOTALS $10.2 Billion 2178
Table 16: Announced & Serious Prospects in Brazoria County
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 72
Source: The Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County, 2016
Completed Projects from 2013 to 2016
Company & Location Project Description Est. New Capital
Investment
Total Direct & Indirect New Jobs
Air Liquide‐Oyster Creek Liquid Oxygen Storage Tank & Vaporization Facility
$10 Million 0
Airgas ‐ Alvin CO2 Processing Facility $9.9 Million 79
Apache Oil Co.‐Sweeny Distribution Facility $3 Million 16
BASF / Yara‐Freeport Ammonia Production Facility & Storage Tank $1.09 Billion 62
BASF Corporation‐Freeport Emulsion Polymers Manufacturing Plant $90 Million 59
Chevron Phillips Chemical Sweeny
Polyethylene Units & Rail Storage Facility $2.5 Billion 448
Chevron Phillips Chemical Sweeny
Ethylene Furnace Unknown Unknown
Dow AgroSciences‐Freeport Dichlorophenol Plant $150 Million 36
Dow Chemical Co. Oyster Creek
Propane Dehydrogenation Plant $1 Billion 377
Dow Chemical Co. Lake Jackson
Administration Building, R&D Labs & Offices Unknown 75
Dow Chemical Co. Oyster Creek
Ethylene Cracker $1.7 Billion 471
Dow Chemical Co.‐Freeport Polyolefins & Elastomers Plant $846 Million 235
Freeport LNG Quintana/Oyster Creek
Natural Gas Liquefaction – Train 1 $4.7 Billion 414
Freeport LNG Quintana/Oyster Creek
Natural Gas Liquefaction – Train 2 $4.7 Billion 244
Freeport LNG Quintana/Oyster Creek
Natural Gas Liquefaction – Train 3 $4.6 Billion 108
Freeport Welding & Fabricating‐Freeport
New Building to Sandblast & Paint Pressure Vessels & New Machine Shop
$3 Million 11
Hoegh Autoliners Port Freeport
Ocean Transport of Roll‐on/Roll‐off Cargo Unknown 125
Nalco‐Freeport Nalmet Metal Scavenger Expansion $9 Million 24
Performance Contractors Iowa Colony
Pipe Fabrication Facility $7 Million 167
Phillips 66 Sweeny & Freeport
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Export Terminal
$2.06 Billion 126
Phillips 66‐Sweeny Pipeline Maintenance Office & Warehouse $2 Million 16
Phillips 66‐Sweeny Fractionation of Natural Gas Liquids‐Frac 1 $600 Million 122
Praxair‐Freeport Hydrogen Plant $277 Million 42
Tenaris‐Bay City Steel Pipe Manufacturing $1.3 Billion 2,800
Trinity Turbine Iowa Colony
New Industrial Gas Turbine Repair Facility $8.09 Million 21
TOTALS $25.665 Billion 6,078
Table 17: Industrial Investment in Brazoria County
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 73
Current and Future Industry Insights
Gary Rodgers, President of the Lake Jackson Development Corporation (LJDC), set up a conference call
interview on April 8, 2016 with Terry McAlister, President and CEO of the Associated Builders and
Contractors (ABC) Texas Gulf Coast Chapter, and Former Lake Jackson Mayor Bob Sipple, currently a
member of the Chamber of Commerce and President of JB Industrial Sales, to assist in the identification
of both existing and future support service sectors that will complement existing and future industry
growth in the Lake Jackson Trade Area as a result of the $34 billion industrial industry expansion.
During this interview, the consensus among these business leaders focused around the fact that the
dynamics are currently being driven by leadership that does not necessarily work in Southern Brazoria
County when it comes to locating or relocating new support service sectors in the area. Based on recent
activity, the large contractors have secured maintenance contracts with the large plants in Southern
Brazoria County, but these contractors are utilizing external suppliers and not necessarily local suppliers.
The hope is that the major contractors will be outsourcing and sub‐contracting to the third and fourth
tier suppliers. These lower level tier suppliers will have a presence in the Lake Jackson Trade Area,
however, it will not be as significant as the area might prefer.
With respect to which suppliers may continue to see growth, there is a high likelihood that the electrical
distribution industry will continue to expand over the next 36 to 48 months. Larger suppliers will also be
coming into the Lake Jackson Trade Area. As a result, competition will take over and smaller suppliers
will be impacted in the form of consolidations, mergers, absorptions and even some suppliers leaving
altogether.
Although the focus of the Trade Area’s industrial companies is currently capital‐intensive and focused on
construction versus maintenance, there will come a time when operations will return to normal
maintenance turnarounds. However, it is estimated that the growth in this market will be solid for the
next ten years.
To ensure there is a skilled and trained workforce to accommodate existing contractors and new
contractors coming into Southern Brazoria County, the ABC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter works closely with
Brazosport College to implement jump start programs, which assist contractors immensely in the Lake
Jackson Trade Area. ABC, in conjunction with the college, provide all the craft trainings for skilled trades
including millwrights, welders, electricians, and pipefitters.
It is predicted that over the next five to ten years, the Lake Jackson Trade Area will see an increase in
major contractors and suppliers that will be predominantly in the safety and regulatory sectors. The ABC
Texas Gulf Coast Chapter, currently serves between 300 to 400 separate contractors monthly. This
further validates the level of activity occurring in Southern Brazoria County’s petrochemical growth and
expansion phase.
It is also highly likely that the futuristic needs for contractors or companies over the next five to ten
years will be for more specialty contractors, such as niche‐type companies or contractors, and
leveraging new technologies and capabilities. The ability of these specialty companies to leverage their
technologies will play a major role in the local area’s supply chain.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 74
Texas Dow Innovation Center In 2014, Dow Chemical began its construction on its new global research and development (R&D) facility
hub in Lake Jackson that will be comprised of five buildings when completed. The first building of the
project was a 230,000 square foot administration office building, located across SH 332 from the Lake
Jackson Civic Center, which was completed and populated in 2015. The second building completed was
a visitor center and employee services building called the Diamond Center. This center houses
conference and planning space, in addition to lounge areas, a dining hall, wellness center, and a fitness
center. The R&D 1 building will be completed in the third quarter of 2016, along with a central plant
warehouse. The following quarter will see the completion of the last part of the project: the R&D 2
building. These R&D centers will replace several of the same such buildings currently located in
Freeport.
The Texas Innovation Center contains state‐of‐the‐art tools, laboratory facilities, and collaboration space
to encourage Dow’s creation of products to support a multitude of industries. Additionally, the center
operates as a technical expertise center to encourage continued innovation within the company, as well
as support the commercialization of solutions across different markets such as the high‐growth food
packaging, automotive and personal care markets. About 2,000 employees are expected to be employed
in the Center when completed.
These world‐class facilities will enhance the
administrative research and development facilities within
the local area, as well as encourage other businesses to
consider locating in Lake Jackson. Visitors from across the
globe who are drawn to this site will require both long
and short term housing options in Lake Jackson, which
the City is working to provide. Since the Center is located
off SH 288 near downtown Lake Jackson, Lake Jackson has
the opportunity to service the influx of employees they
expect to see coming to the City’s downtown during mid‐
day and after work hours.
Light Manufacturing and Logistics Light manufacturing typically involves the conversion of partially processed materials into items of fairly
high value per unit weight. Examples of light manufacturing uses are in textiles, wood products,
publishing print books, electronics, home accessories, and cosmetics. These products correspond well to
the currently strong retail sales areas and industries where untapped potential has been cited in Lake
Jackson and its Trade Area. Typically these operations operate in batches or discrete production runs,
compared to the continuous processing of heavy manufacturing. This type of manufacturing may be
considered “green,” as it uses limited amounts of resources and power in its production processes
leading to lower pollution contributions and requires minimal land for its production. This allows light
manufacturing facilities to be permitted near residential areas, as in the case of the Alden Development
near the airport.
Figure 40: Planning Space in Diamond Center
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 75
Currently Lake Jackson has little to no light manufacturing operations within the City limits, allowing for
opportunities for expansion in both this and the logistics sector. In particular light manufacturing would
be well‐placed in the available land near the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport, which is also in close
proximity to the Union Pacific Rail Line. Having the Union Pacific line install a rail spur here to support
these industries would connect all the local transportation hubs currently serving Lake Jackson by air,
sea, sky, rail and road. This would be a huge asset to Lake Jackson by providing the connectivity that is
vital for economic success. Since this area is located northwest of the City, road traffic will be able to
skirt around the City, avoiding the pitfalls of expanding the logistics industry within a city. Future road
development plans can also alleviate any problems that may arise from the growth of light
manufacturing in Lake Jackson.
Lake Jackson has the opportunity to setup an intra‐modal container storage facility to support port
traffic from both Freeport and Houston and to support any light manufacturing which occurs at the Gulf
Coast Regional Airport. Any Lake Jackson business which manufactures a product and imports a product
may consider the advantages of applying for a Usage Driven Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) through the Port
of Freeport.
Economic and Job Trends The Lake Jackson economy has remained strong over the past decade with a manageable rise and fall of
the labor force and unemployment before and after the recession of 2008. Unemployment rates in Lake
Jackson have been historically lower than the County and State unemployment rates. The effects of the
recession hit hardest in 2010; however, the region has quickly recovered due to the strong
petrochemical, chemical and natural gas economic engines in the area. Currently, private industry leads
in the highest number of employees in the County and City. Labor force numbers are steadily increasing
with a prediction they will continue to rise with the rise in number of new homes and the expansion of
existing businesses. Along with downtown development and working to expand retail sectors within the
City, Lake Jackson has proven itself to be an economic magnet within its Trade Area and the Brazosport
Area.
Sources of Economic Support and Information The Lake Jackson Economic Development Corporation’s (LJDC) mission is to “use proactive strategies
and all available resources to promote economic growth and market Lake Jackson as the premier city to
live, work and play.” Three major sources of economic information that the City can partner with to
accomplish its mission include the Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County, the Brazosport
Area Chamber of Commerce and Brazosport College, specifically its Small Business Development Center
(BC SBDC). Existing and interested businesses can refer to these sources for industry and economic data
or use them as a means to promote their businesses. In the same way, Lake Jackson can utilize these
resources as they continue to develop.
Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County
A public/private non‐profit corporation whose mission is "to promote and diversify the economic base,
attract high‐wage jobs in target industries to Brazoria County, and support and champion the interests
of existing businesses." They serve as data clearinghouse for Brazoria County demographic and industry
data, in addition to marketing the region in a way that benefits Lake Jackson and its Trade Area.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 76
Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce
Formed in 1945, this organization has many years of experience promoting the Brazosport Area. Their
goals include supporting sustainable economic growth and creating a positive business environment, as
well as improving quality of life in the Brazosport Area. To accomplish its goals, outlined in a strategic
plan, this group acts through different task forces and committees such as those related to
transportation, shopping local, and promote local attractions. They also maintain a business directory
for the area of area business members including those in Lake Jackson.
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board
Brazoria County is part of the 13‐county Gulf Coast Workforce Board with 25 offices in the Board area;
one of which is in Lake Jackson. The largest county in the Board area is Harris County, with an estimated
population of over 4 million people. Being mixed with a large population such as this, Board area
statistics and demographics are often skewed for the smaller areas such as with Lake Jackson. However,
it is important to recognize the data to know what is supported and projected for the Board area. This
organization is also an important resource as a member of the Greater Houston Partnership, which
works to market high‐demand careers in fields such as the petrochemical and other important local
industries. These efforts on the Boards behalf for this Partnership can also be applied and used in Lake
Jackson.
Brazosport College Small Business Development Center
This center has serviced southern Brazoria County since 1998 by providing a myriad of resources for
area business and entrepreneurs. They offer free business consulting services, inexpensive training
seminars, and access to a business library to help people interested in starting a business, managing it
better, or growing their business. By utilizing these resources local businesses can be more successful
and the economy more stable in the Lake Jackson area.
Brazoria County Economic Indicators The Leading Economic Index, Current Economic Index and Lagging Economic Index are all used to assess
the positive or negative economic growth in a region. Using the Brazosport College Economic
Forecasting Center quarterly publication of Brazoria County Economic Indicators from January 2016,
these indices have shown that Brazoria County has been and will likely continue to enjoy a period of
economic growth.
Leading Economic Index
The Leading Economic Index is comprised of three leading economic indicators: the Brazoria County
Stock Index, New Single Family Building Permits, and the Houston‐The Woodlands‐Sugarland Average
Weekly Manufacturing Hours. The leading economic indicator that increased the most from November
2014 to 2015 was the New Single Family Building Permits (seasonally adjusted), with an increase of
18.81%. The Brazoria County Stock Index, which is comprised of the eight largest publicly traded
manufacturers in the county, increased 1.77% over the last year. To put this in perspective, the Dow
Jones Industrial Average increased only 0.27% over the same period. The Houston‐The Woodlands‐
Sugarland Average Weekly Manufacturing Hours (unadjusted) indicator decreased to 43.30 hours per
week in November 2015 from 45.70 hours per week November 2014, a decrease of 5.25%. As a whole,
the Leading Economic Index increased 3.42% to 125.93 in November 2015, compared to 121.77 in
November 2014.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 77
This index is used to forecast an area’s economic performance over the subsequent six months; when
the index is consistently above a six month moving average then the county is probably entering into or
is currently experiencing a period of positive economic growth. Brazoria County’s Leading Index has only
been above the six month moving average for seven of the past eleven months, but the other indexes
support that the County is experiencing positive economic growth so this can still be considered a
confident sign for Brazoria’s future economy.
Current Economic Index
The Current Economic Index provides insight into Brazoria County’s current economic wellbeing and is
based on Sales Tax Receipts, Household Employment, West South Central Consumer Confidence, and
Hotel/Motel Tax Receipts. Sales Tax Receipts (unadjusted) rose 11.36% from November 2014 to
November 2015 to a total of $2,236,932. Meanwhile, after record high numbers in 2014, by November
2015 Household Employment (unadjusted) decreased by 1.76% and Hotel/Motel Tax Receipts
(unadjusted) decreased by 3.44%. The West South Central Consumer Confidence also decreased
throughout the year by 2.90% to 121.55 in November 2015. Altogether, the Current Economic Index
increased by 10.46% between November 2014 and November 2015 to 205.74. This index has been
above the six month moving average during this time period, meaning that the County is probably
currently experiencing a period of positive economic growth.
Lagging Economic Index
The Lagging Economic Index considers Brazoria County Foreclosure Notices, Prime Rate Charged by
Banks, and the Unemployment Rate. Brazoria County Foreclosure Notices (unadjusted) remained at an
all‐time low of 74 notices in both November 2014 and 2015. The Prime Rate Charged by Banks increased
by 3.69% over that same time period to 3.37. The Unemployment Rate in Brazoria County increased by
6.44%, from the historically low 4.50% in November 2014 to 4.79% in November 2015. Overall, the
Lagging Economic Index increased by 4.14%, a growth from 127.16 in November 2014 to 132.43 in
November 2015. The Lagging Economic Index has been consistently above a six month moving average
in the past year, from November 2014 to 2015, confirming the results from the other economic
indicators that Brazoria County has indeed been experiencing a period of positive economic growth.
Employment and Labor Force Like most other US cities, Lake Jackson saw the effects of the 2007 to 2008 economic crisis which had
lingering negative effects until 2010, as seen in the chart below. Since 2010, Lake Jackson has seen a
steady decrease in the unemployment rate from just over 8% in 2010 down to 4% in 2015, signaling to
investors that the local economy is doing well and returning to normal. Overall, the unemployment rate
in Lake Jackson since 2010 has followed the trends set by the state and the county, while remaining less
than or equal to the rates of these larger counterparts.
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 78
Figure 41: Historical Unemployment Rates of Lake Jackson, Brazoria County, and Texas
Source: Texas Labor Market Review, Brazoria County Economic Alliance, 2015
Lake Jackson is known to be home to workers who work in an office or a professional setting generally
not involving manual labor. Blue collar jobs are ones where uniforms might be required and there is
some form of manual labor. Executives and professional workers within the Southern Brazosport Area
often choose Lake Jackson as their place of residence. According to the US Census Bureau, white collar
jobs dominate Lake Jackson at almost 80%.
Table 18: Lake Jackson 2012 Employment Statistics
2012 Employment by Job Type for Civilian Population (Age 16+)
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Texas United States
White Collar 79.52% 73.54% 75.24%
Blue Collar 20.48% 26.46% 24.76%
Source: US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012
The labor force for Lake Jackson has averaged about 14,000 people for the past 10 years. There have
been minor fluctuations in the total amount, but it has not changed more than 3.5%. Based on previous
years’ growth rates, it is estimated that by 2019 Lake Jackson will have a labor force of 15,000 people.
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Average Unem
ploym
ent
Civilian Labor Force Unemployment Rates, Seasonally Unadjusted
Lake Jackson
Brazoria County
Texas
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 79
Figure 42: Historical and Estimated Labor Force for Lake Jackson
Source: Texas Workforce Commission and Allteryx, 2014
Labor force is measured by where your place of residence is, regardless if you live and work in the same
city. So if someone lives in Angleton, but works in Lake Jackson they are counted in the Angleton labor
market and not the Lake Jackson labor market. As can be seen in the chart below, only 22.3% of people
who are employed in Lake Jackson also live in Lake Jackson. Adding more jobs inside the City does not
necessarily add to the labor force; increasing the working population who reside in the City adds to the
labor market. Since the population of Lake Jackson has remained constant, the City has not been able to
increase the measured labor market due to the aforementioned reasons. The flow of the labor force
through Lake Jackson is seen in the following figure which shows that about 5,000 people come from
outside Lake Jackson to work in the city while about 10,000 people leave the City to go to work each
day. Table 19: 2013 Employee Inflow and Outflow from Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Labor Market Count Share
Employed in Lake Jackson 7,027
Living in Lake Jackson 11,750
Net Job Inflow (+) or Outflow (‐) ‐4,723
In‐Area Labor Force Efficiency (All Jobs)
Living in Lake Jackson 11,750 100.0%
Living and Employed in Lake Jackson 1,569 13.4%
Living in Lake Jackson but Employed Outside 10,181 86.6%
In‐Area Employment Efficiency (All Jobs)
Employed in Lake Jackson 7,027 100.0%
Employed and Living in Lake Jackson 1,569 22.3%
Employed in Lake Jackson but Living Outside 5,458 77.7%Source: US Census Bureau, OnTheMap, 2013
12,500
13,000
13,500
14,000
14,500
15,000
15,500
Lake Jackson Labor Force
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 80
Figure 43: 2013 Employee Inflow and Outflow from Lake Jackson
Source: US Census Bureau, OnTheMap, 2013
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 81
Leading Employers Typically, the largest employers in a county are the state or local government, independent school
districts (ISD), or health care providers; not so for Brazoria county. Three companies, Dow Chemical
Company, Fluor Corporation, and the Zachry Group are private companies which top the list of largest
employers before school districts and government. Another large and expanding employer in Brazoria
County is Olin Chlor Alkali, who currently has about 1,200 employees, just about 100 employees away
from the tenth top employer in Brazoria County.
Figure 44: Top Employers in Brazoria County
Source: The Alliance – Economic Development for Brazoria County, 2014
Exact numbers of employees for the large employers is difficult to ascertain due to the uniqueness of
Lake Jackson employers. For example, Dow Chemical Innovation Center is nearing completion with
about 900 employees. When the other buildings are completed, it is estimated they will employ over
2,000 people by 2017. In addition, their Plant A and B facilities employs about 3,500 people and an
additional 3,900 contractors work for them in Lake Jackson, Clute and Freeport. These contractors
include BASF, Infinity Group, Zachry and Fluor. Plus, BASF has their own plant in Lake Jackson. Figure 45: Lake Jackson Top Employers
Source: City of Lake Jackson, TEEX Personal Phone Calls, Hoovers
4,200
3,161
2,821
2,781
2,524
2,409
1,673
1,624
1,569
1,335
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500
The Dow Chemical Company
Fluor Corporation
Zachry Group
Alvin I.S.D.
Pearland I.S.D.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Infinity Group
Brazosport I.S.D.
Brock Group
Brazoria County
Top Employers in Brazoria County
2,000
915
650
537
287
264
209
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Dow Chemical
BASF
Brazosport Regional Health System
BISD
BC
TDECU
City of Lake Jackson
Number of Employees
Top Employers in Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 82
A comparison of the job profile of Lake Jackson to that of the Lake Jackson Trade Area shows the two
entities are similar. The major difference between the two is Lake Jackson has a larger percentage of
jobs in the manufacturing and retail trade area. This fits in line perfectly since Lake Jackson is home to
many chemical manufacturers such as Dow and BASF. This corresponds well with the top employers in
Lake Jackson. Lake Jackson is also known for its downtown shopping which provides a larger percentage
of retail trade jobs to the City than the Trade Area.
Figure 46: Job Profile for Lake Jackson, 2014 and Lake Jackson Trade Area, 2010
Source: US Census Bureau, AGS
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, and Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities
Information
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Professional, Scientific, Management, and Administrative
Educational, Health Care, and Social Services
Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, and FoodServices
Other Services, Except Public Administration
Public Administration
Job Profile for Lake Jackson and Lake Jackson Trade Area
Lake Jackson Trade Area Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 83
The number of establishments for different industry sectors in Lake Jackson is relatively similar to that of
Brazoria County, with the most notable differences being more Retail Trade locations and more Health
Care and Social Assistance Establishments. The County has few Agricultural, Mining, or Oil and Gas
Extraction Establishments which makes sense due to the fact that these operations tend to be large‐
scale and consolidated. In general the County possesses a larger percentage of the blue collar jobs,
while Lake Jackson tends to have a larger percentage of the white collar jobs.
Figure 47: Comparative number of establishments for Lake Jackson and Brazoria County, 2014
Source: Texas Workforce Commission, 2014
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation and Warehousing
Information
Finance and Insurance
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Management
Administrative and Support
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Accommodation and Food Services
Other Services (except Public Administration)
Industries not classified
Number of Establishments in Lake Jackson and Brazoria County
Brazoria Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 84
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the state agency that oversees the Workforce Boards, helps
fund training programs and supportive services for those that meet the workforce criteria and eligibility.
According to TWC, over $134 million in financial aid was spent assisting individuals in the Board area to
get a job, keep a job or get a better job. The Board identifies occupations in high demand and ones that
they forecast will grow and/or decline in a 10 year period. According to the latest projections by
Workforce Solutions in the Gulf Coast Region, over 700,000 jobs will be added by 2022 to the region.
This represents a 23.8% increase over the time period, which is higher than the national growth rate of
21.5%. Most significant to Lake Jackson are the projected increases in Health Care and Social Assistance,
Educational Services, and Accommodation and Food Services which are projected to add 100,000,
70,000, and 70,000 jobs respectively in the Gulf Coast Region as seen in the figure below. Lake Jackson
will be getting a good share of the Accommodation and Food Services type of jobs with the addition of
the three planned hotels building in the City and the redevelopment of the Brazos Mall. In particular, the
recently completed 80,000 square foot HEB center employs around 300 workers.
Figure 48: Gulf Coast Region 2012‐2022 Job Projections
Source: Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast Region, 2012
1,400
34,580
53,900
23,320
3,990
17,150
10,670
49,280
7,570
61,470
70,260
100,690
6,690
70,150
23,890
‐ 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000
Utilities
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation & Warehousing
Information
Finance & Insurance
Real Estate & Rental & Leasing
Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services
Management of Companies & Enterprises
Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services
Educational Services
Healthcare & Social Assistance
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation
Accomodation & Food Services
Other Services, Excluding Government
Service Producing Sector Projected New Jobs in the Gulf Coast 2012‐2022
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 85
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board authorizes training dollars and support services for those seeking
occupations in high‐skilled, high‐growth targeted areas. In 2015, the following occupational types were
identified (examples are not all inclusive):
Educational Services – teachers and counselors
Specialty Construction – welders, cutters, electricians, plumbers, heating and air conditioner
installers, cost estimators, mobile heavy equipment mechanics
Oil and Natural Gas Extraction and Manufacturing – engineers (environmental, petroleum,
safety), industrial machinery mechanics, machinists, refinery operators, geoscientists, chemical
plant and system operators, geological and petroleum technicians, instrument and electrical
technicians
Health Services – registered nurses, licensed practical and vocational nurses, doctors and
dentists, medical records and health information technicians, therapists
Professional and Technical Services – computer systems analysts, software developers, network
and computer systems administrators
Other – accountants and auditors, paralegals and legal assistants
Many of the above type jobs are needed in the Lake Jackson area with the growing population, and
labor force and business expansions. In addition, the Brazosport ISD and Brazosport College offer
educational certificates and degrees in those fields.
Cluster Analysis and Growing Industries Cluster analysis was used to determine the growth status of industry segments in Lake Jackson based on
the current competitive advantage available. The cluster analysis defines industries in relation to local
needs, as shown in the table below. The Location Quotient (LQ) represents the ratio of the percentage
of employment in an industry locally to the percentage of employment in the same industry in the larger
Texas economy. A Location Quotient greater or equal to one means that the industry is meeting the
local demands, whereas an industry with a Location Quotient less than one is not meeting Lake
Jackson’s needs. Lake Jackson would benefit economically should they work to expand declining and
emerging industries within their City.
Table 20: Cluster Analysis Definitions
Declining Local Shift in Employment Growing Local Shift in Employment
Transforming Industries ‐Industries that are declining locally but are still surpassing the needs of Lake Jackson
Growing Core Industries ‐Industries that are currently key to Lake Jackson’s growth and are still growing
High local concentration (LQ >1)
Declining Industries ‐Industries that are not growing in Lake Jackson and that do not meet the local needs
Emerging Industries ‐Industries that do not meet the local needs but are growing
Low local concentration (LQ <1)
Source: Planning Local Economic Development, Blakely, E.J. and Leigh, N.G., 2013
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 86
Based on these definitions, Lake Jackson has a majority of industries meeting its local needs. However,
there are several declining industries, such as agriculture and wholesale trade, which do not meet the
City’s needs. The wholesale trade sector includes both merchant wholesalers and the conglomeration of
business‐to‐business electronic markets, agents, and brokers engaged in providing services related to
the sale of merchandise and wholesaling merchandise. This merchandise can include the outputs of
agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and some information industries like publishing intended as either
goods for resale, capital or durable non‐consumer goods like industrial machinery or heavy‐duty trucks,
or the raw and intermediate materials used in production. Additionally, the Information Industry is listed
as being the only emerging industry, when ideally Lake Jackson would want to be the home to several
emerging industries to maintain its economic vitality. Overall, this analysis highlights industries Lake
Jackson may want to focus on supporting and encouraging in an effort to fulfill their needs and maintain
self‐sufficiency. The cluster analysis for Lake Jackson can be seen in the table below.
Table 21: Lake Jackson Cluster Analysis, Based on 2012‐2014 Employment Totals
Declining Local Shift in Employment Growing Local Shift in Employment
Transforming Industries
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing
Professional, scientific, and management services
Educational services, and health care and social assistance
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services
Growing Core Industries
Construction
Manufacturing
Retail trade
Other services, except public administration
Public administration
High local concentration (LQ >1)
Declining Industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining
Wholesale trade
Emerging Industries
Information
Low local concentration (LQ <1)
Source: US Census Bureau, American FactFinder, 2014
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 87
Shift analysis reflects the difference in growth or decline rates of an industry in Lake Jackson relative to
the rate for the same industry in Texas as a whole. The analysis here reflects the growth or decline rates
from 2012 to 2014, as shown in the figure below. For example, the decrease in the Wholesale Trade
sector does not mean that this industry decreased by 4.48%, but rather this differential shift comes from
a decrease in the Wholesale Trade of 3.6% in Lake Jackson minus a 0.9% increase in this sector in Texas
as a whole. This method is used to highlight specific industries where Lake Jackson has a competitive
advantage within the Texas economy and which industries are a cause for concern for the City.
Specifically, positive differential shift rates denote an industry with a competitive advantage in Lake
Jackson, the greatest advantages being in the Information, Retail Trade, and Public Administration.
These were also noted to be growing core and emerging industries in the cluster analysis. Of high
concern is the Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, and Food Services sectors which
declined in Lake Jackson, while this sector grew in Texas as a whole. Along with the Professional,
Scientific, Management, Administrative, and Waste Management Services sectors, these groups
represent large chunks of the Lake Jackson economy that have been struggling to grow, but are on the
upswing in Lake Jackson since 2014. Lake Jackson leaders are focusing on these industries with the
planned development of three new hotels, more restaurants, redevelopment of the Brazos Mall, and
development of the HEB Center. Additionally, the DOW Innovation Center that has recently opened is
helping to revitalize the professional, scientific, management, and administrative positions by creating
additional jobs in Lake Jackson.
Source: US Census Bureau, American FactFinder, 2014
Figure 49: Differential Shift for Lake Jackson, versus Texas
‐9.47%
4.12%
4.81%
‐4.48%
26.07%
‐6.61%
32.80%
‐1.94%
‐20.04%
‐9.88%
‐19.80%
1.62%
13.28%
‐30% ‐20% ‐10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation, warehousing, & utilities
Information
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental, & leasing
Professional, scientific, mgmt., admin., & waste mgmt. services
Educational services, and health care and social assistance
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, & food services
Other services, except public administration
Public administration
Differential Shift for Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 88
Based on a comparison of the cluster analysis and Gulf Coast Workforce Solutions’ high growth areas,
shown in the following table, Lake Jackson is positioned to take advantage of the growing core,
transforming, and emerging economies.
Table 22: Lake Jackson Opportunities Based on Regional Growth Projections
Lake Jackson Opportunities Based on Top Fastest Growing Industries 2012‐2022
INDUSTRY NEW JOBS
% CHANGE
Lake Jackson Opportunity Category
Outpatient Care Centers 5,280 67.20% Transforming
Machinery & Equipment Rental & Leasing 3,680 55.10% Transforming
Warehousing & Storage 3,890 42.30% Transforming
Oil & Gas Extraction 21,230 39.40% Declining
Individual & Family Services 5,710 39.30% Transforming
Home Health Care Services 17,920 38.50% Transforming
Offices of Physicians 16,900 36.40% Transforming
Services to Buildings & Dwellings 16,140 36.30% Transforming
Utility System Construction 10,470 35.80% Growing Core
Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 5,240 35.10% Growing Core
Employment Services 24,950 34.80% Transforming
Agriculture, Construction, & Mining Machinery Manufacturing
14,060 34.50% Growing Core
Office Administrative Services 6,870 34.00% Transforming
Freight Transportation Arrangement 3,230 33.50% Transforming
Computer Systems Design & Related Services 9,020 33.40% Emerging
Residential Building Construction 2,940 32.40% Growing Core
Restaurants & Other Eating Places 61,410 32.20% Growing Core
Wholesale Electronic Markets & Agents & Brokers 5,740 30.70% Transforming
Nursing Care Facilities, Skilled Nursing 5,070 30.40% Transforming
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 3,210 30.40% Transforming
Source: Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast Region, 2012, and Cluster Analysis
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 89
Downtown Development and Retail Sectors A retail leakage study or supply and demand analysis helps to indicate how well local residents retail
needs are being met, discovering where unmet demands and possible opportunities lie, and identifying
the strengths and weaknesses of the local retail sector. From the study it can be seen which store types
have a leakage and which store types have a surplus.
The following figure indicates the difference between the potential for sales and actual sales in different
retail categories in a certain area. A negative number indicates fewer sales than possible are being
made, referred to as a leakage. A positive number is the opposite, indicating more sales than the
potential are being made, or a surplus of sales. As can be seen from the chart below, in the majority of
categories, Lake Jackson runs a surplus of sales indicating they are attracting people from the
surrounding areas to come and shop in Lake Jackson versus the surrounding area. They also run a
surplus in many more categories than the entire Lake Jackson Trade Area, again signaling Lake Jackson’s
strength in retail sales. The City’s strongest retail areas are:
General Merchandise Stores
Sports/ Hobby/ Book/ Music Stores
Health and Personal Care Stores
Clothing/ Accessory Stores
Building/ Garden Equipment/ Supply Stores
Electronics & Appliances Stores
The areas with the most potential for Lake Jackson to add new stores and attract even more sales are
the categories in which both Lake Jackson and the Lake Jackson Trade Area run a retail leakage. A
leakage in both signals that people are not only going outside of Lake Jackson for certain items, but they
are also going outside the Trade Area to find these items. These untapped areas are:
Furniture & Home Furnishing Stores
Food & Beverage Stores: Includes grocery stores, specialty food, and beer/wine/liquor stores
Motor Vehicle & Auto Parts Dealers
In particular, grocery stores had the largest retail gap and no dedicated beer/wine/liquor stores were
found in Lake Jackson. By adding stores in all the above areas, Lake Jackson could capture the unmet
demand and further exert their retail dominance of the area. Already Lake Jackson has taken steps
forward with the opening of HEB in Lake Jackson and a nearly complete Kroger in nearby Clute to help
capture some of the demand in the food and beverage sector. Quality grocery stores such as these can
be an influencing factor for people choosing a place to live and will have a positive impact on the local
economy.
In 2015, the Centennial Real Estate Company, Atlantic Creek Real Estate Partners, LLC and The North
Shore Properties Group, LLC purchased the Brazos Mall located off of SH 288 and Oyster Creek Drive in
Lake Jackson. Unlike other enclosed malls in the US which struggle to remain open, the Brazos Mall had
92% of its 680,951 square foot space occupied at the time of sale and was assessed at $21.6 million in
2015. This mall contributes to Lake Jackson’s status as the area’s retail hub because it is the only
enclosed retail center in the Brazosport Area and features the only movie theatre of its kind within 40
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 90
miles. Additionally, its presence and success encourages the development of new restaurants and hotels
nearby that will strengthen Lake Jackson’s force as an economic magnet.
Source: Business Analyst Online, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), 2015
The majority of expenditures in 2014 were spent on housing and local transportation. Few expenditures
were spent on dining out and entertainment, which reflects back to the cluster analysis that described
this combination as a transforming industry. The category “Other” includes a variety of other
expenditures, including legal services, pet expenses, and special hobby expenditures. Areas with fewer
expenditures offer opportunities for growth in that sector.
Source: US Census Bureau, Census Business Builder, 2014
‐80 ‐60 ‐40 ‐20 0 20 40 60
Food Services & Drinking Places
Miscellaneous Store Retailers
General Merchandise Stores
Sports/Hobby/Book/Music Stores
Clothing/Accessories Stores
Health and Personal Care Stores
Food and Beverage Stores
Bldg/Garden Equip/Supply Stores
Electronics & Appliance Stores
Furniture/Home Furnishing Stores
Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers
Retail Leakage/ Surplus
Lack Jackson Trade Area Lake Jackson, TX
Figure 50: Retail Leakage in Lake Jackson
Dining Out4% Entertainment/Recreation
Financial Investments3%
Healthcare7%
Household services2%
Housing30%
Personal care products and services
1%Local transportation15%
Travel3%
Other30%
2014 Lake Jackson Expenditures
Figure 51: Consumer Expenditures in Lake Jackson for 2014
Lake Jackson Comprehensive Competitiveness Assessment, April 2016 91
Bibliography
The following resources were used in the creation of this assessment:
Alteryx
Applied Geographic Solutions
Aspen Institute
Blakely, E. J., & Leigh, N. G. (n.d.).
(2013). Planning local economic
development: Theory and practice.
Brazoria County Appraisal District
Brazoria County
Brazosport Center for the Arts and
Sciences
Brazosport College Board of Regents
Brazosport College Economic
Forecasting Center
Brazosport College Registrar
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Business Analyst Online Software
BusinessWire
City of Lake Jackson, TX
Compare College TX
Dow Chemical Company
Dow’s Impact Publication
Fly2Houston
Greater Houston Partnership
Google Maps
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
Gulf Coast Center
Hoover’s
Houston Business Journal
Mammoth Lake Waterpark
National Association of Realtors
Real Estate Center Texas A&M
University
Research360
Sea Center Texas
Sites on Texas 2.0
Source Strategies, Inc.
Sperling’s Best Places
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
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Services
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gulf Coast Community Colleges
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport
Texas Higher Education Accountability
System
Texas Labor Market Review (January
2016 Edition)
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Texas State Library and Archives
Commission
Texas Workforce Commission, Labor
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The Alliance – Economic Development
for Brazoria County
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Photo Sources
www.austinchronicle.com
www.maptechnica.com
www.bizjournals.com
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P.O. Box 40006College Station, TX 77842-4006
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