Grimes County has seen a lot of growth in the last few years but now a recent study points out one specific aspect of that growth.
Tim Marema, editor of the website Daily Yonder, tells Navasota News, he and researcher Dr. Roberto Gallardo, have found many counties with higher percentage of immigrants are doing better economically.
Marema explains this could be a combination of immigrants moving to town because there is work here and then once they have settled and started working, they further add to the county’s growth by putting more money back into the local economy, and thereby creating more jobs.
But grimes is a bit of a mixed bag, he continues, with a 1.1% increase in unemployment and a 2% increase in the number of people living below the poverty line, but Marema adds, that can easily be attributed to the recession.
And by that yardstick, our county is still doing okay. As of 2012, Marima says, total employment in Grimes had grown by more than 25%. And another upside, latest statistics from the state show both continued county population growth and a down-tick in our unemployment.