State of the Community Report for Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas Metropolitan Area: 2020 Population and Economic Technical Report

This state of the community report provides information to guide planning projects that best serve the community of the Beaumont-Port Arthur (BPA) Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Texas. The primary counties in the MSA are Hardin County, Jefferson County, and Orange County. There are three major places in the MSA, Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. These three cities make up the “Golden Triangle”. Located an hour east of Houston, the BPA MSA is a key player in the global energy sector. The MSA is home to the world’s largest oil refinery. The region is vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding. In order to properly assess the population and economic statistics, the report looks at the size, composition, and spatial distribution of people in the BPA MSA and how they have changed over time. By looking forward at how the population is expected to grow or decline, a planner can take the appropriate steps to advise policies that will adapt to the changes appropriately. The ethnic and racial demographics also provide a metric for planners to advocate and encourage policies that can serve and support historically underrepresented groups.