Population: 1,758,210
Growth (2000-2010): 32.4%
San Antonio is a modern-day boomtown thanks to the Eagle Ford shale formation.
Covering a vast area just south of San Antonio, Eagle Ford is about the biggest thing to hit the Texas oil industry in years. New advances that have enabled drillers to tap the shale, which is estimated to hold about 3.6 billion barrels of oil, has brought many businesses and oil workers to the city and surrounding areas.
"We've got oil fields popping out all over," said Harper.
It's also been a boom for businesses owners, who serve the needs of the oil industry workers. Restaurants, hotels, stores, service stations and lots of other businesses are thriving.
Even before Eagle Ford, the local economy was doing well. San Antonio is a major center for health care and financial services. And there's also a large military presence in the area, a steady source of government spending throughout the past decade.
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