Bastrop County boasts a new industrial park in Bastrop, location on a four-lane highway between Austin and Houston and proximity to the Austin airport. Elgin is building a network of wireless hotspots. The county also has several key components of the region's biosciences industry, including the M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center, University of Texas Science Park-Department of Veterinary Sciences and a growing number of life sciences companies located in the county.

Caldwell County offers many opportunities for growing businesses, including high-speed connectivity, state-of-the-art building inventory and a soon-to-be-completed second industrial park. The county seat, Lockhart, is less than 20 miles from I-35, I-10 and the Austin airport, and the proposed state highway 130 will skirt the city.

Hays County joins Williamson County as one of the fastest growing counties in Texas. The county’s location on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio makes it ideal for companies needing good roadway links. The state’s sixth largest public university, Texas State University in San Marcos, provides the area with a young, well-educated workforce. The state’s largest outlet mall, located on I-35 south of San Marcos, makes the area a strong retail center. The County's next largest city is Kyle, another thriving community on the I-35 corridor.

Travis County, with the area’s largest population, has experienced much of the region’s job growth over the past decade. Austin offers a vibrant, urban environment and is home to many of the region’s technology-based companies, government offices and five colleges and universities. Pflugerville, a rapidly growing community north of Austin, is the county’s second largest city.

Williamson County is the 12th fastest growing county in the nation having doubled its population over the past decade. It has also experienced explosive growth in commercial and residential development. Dell Inc., headquartered in Round Rock, is the world’s largest computer systems company. Southwestern University, often ranked in national listings as providing one of the best values in undergraduate education, is located in Georgetown. Other fast growing communities in Williamson County include Cedar Park, Hutto, Leander, and Taylor.