An overlooked component of Texas’s economic success is the very low share of federally-owned land. When Texas joined the Union, it negotiated to retain control of its public lands. Much of that land was later sold to developers to retire state debt and endow public education. Combined with strong private property rights, development decisions outside of cities largely rest with private landowners rather than politicians or regulators.

By contrast, many western states were carved out of federal territories, leaving Washington in control of vast acreage today. That difference still shapes outcomes, as building on private land is an order of magnitude easier than navigating the constraints that come with federal ownership.

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