Houston is the seventh-largest economy in the U.S. and has one of the youngest, most diverse, and fastest-growing populations in the world. Houston has a robust and diversified economy with a broad base in the industries of energy, business, technology, international trade, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, education, medicine, and research. The metro area should have the strongest growth in the construction, energy, government, health care, professional, services, and restaurant sectors in the first half of 2023. Downturns in industries that are most susceptible to rising interest rates will be offset by the overall job growth across all sectors.