New Braunfels offers the best of both worlds: an authentic community with strong heritage, and a thriving economy in the heart of the San Antonio - Austin corridor.
With multiple water recreation opportunities, quality shopping and dining, and dozens of unique festivals and events, it’s no wonder that New Braunfels has been consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation for over ten years.
We sat down with Michele Boggs, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, to find out more about this community.
Tell us about the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation.
The Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce performs economic development activities through a public-private partnership with the City of New Braunfels, New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation (NBEDC), Greater New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation (GNBEDF), Comal County, and New Braunfels Utilities (NBU). Through operating agreements, the Chamber provides the staff infrastructure for the partnership and its core operations.
The NBEDC is a corporation at the City of New Braunfels whose revenue is derived from a 3/8 cent sales tax. The NBEDC is led by a board of directors appointed by City Council and is staffed jointly by the Chamber and the economic development department of the city. The Chamber acts as the public-facing representative of the NBEDC.
The GNBEDF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2005 to generate private sector funding to complement public sector resources. Through its board of directors and operating agreement with the Chamber, the GNBEDF also ensures private sector accountability in economic development.
What makes New Braunfels unique within the San Antonio region?
At the confluence of the Comal and Guadalupe rivers, New Braunfels offers a unique blend of big-city amenities and small-town charm. Our unrivaled quality of life, business-friendly climate, growing and highly-educated workforce, and convenient location has created opportunities for new and existing businesses to expand and thrive.
New Braunfels has emerged as a clear destination of choice for residents within the region as 49% of Comal County’s population growth is attributable to net migration from nearby Bexar, Guadalupe, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties.
Most notable is the way in which our community is growing. The percentage of the City’s adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher surged more than 13 percentage points from 29.8% to 42.0% in just the past five years. This turnover in the community’s socioeconomic profile has significant implications for its economic development; the skill sets of residents – and the types of jobs that they fill – are changing rapidly.
If you could highlight one major statistic or project, what would it be?
Noted above, the City’s educational attainment is growing rapidly for the adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Over the past five years, the adult population with a bachelor’s degree or higher surged more than 13%.
What makes your community a great place for people & jobs?
New Braunfels is a charming oasis in the Texas Hill Country. Unique shops, quiet cafes, and lively bars line our tree-shaded streets, while fascinating museums and unique walking tours help keep New Braunfels' history alive. Our arts scene thrives with galleries, studios, concerts, and plays. Two of the state’s most popular recreation rivers run through New Braunfels and thanks to our mild winters, proximity to water activities during hot summers, and an average of 225+ days of sunshine per year, you can sip, shop, relax, and enjoy live music all year long. The number one site selection criteria for corporate relocation revolves around the ability to recruit talent. Coupled with our unmatched quality of life, a highly skilled and educated workforce continues to flock to New Braunfels, and with more residents come more high-skill/high-wage jobs.
Impact on Hospitality & Tourism in the NB Economy
New Braunfels offers residents and visitors a wide range of recreational and entertainment opportunities, including many annual events for the whole family. As a water recreation paradise, New Braunfels boasts one of the world’s best water parks and two beautiful rivers perfect for fishing, tubing or swimming. New Braunfels offers year-round fun with music, dancing, shopping and dining. New Braunfels attracted an estimated 3 million visitors in 2023. The hospitality industry that draws and accommodates these visitors plays an important and significant role in the local area economy. The economic impact of the hospitality industry in New Braunfels is huge – over $1.3 billion dollars in 2023. An estimated 31% of jobs in New Braunfels are directly related to hospitality, with over $28.8 million in sales tax revenue generated from the impacts of this critical segment of our diverse economy.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
New Braunfels has over 1.6 million sq ft of industrial space entering the market now through the end of 2025. We also anticipate about 350,000 sq ft of new office space becoming available over the next 2 years.
Learn more at https://www.nbchamber.com/economic-development.