Texas ranks as 2nd best state for racial progress in 2024, study finds

progress report

In an annual study on racial progress, Texas falls slightly behind in the employment and wealth category, ranking No. 13 overall. Photo via Getty Images

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, personal finance website WalletHub is revisiting its annual report "States with the Most Racial Progress." Texas comes out near the top for 2024, but has room for improvement in several areas.

The report measures the gaps between Black and white residents across 22 key indicators of equality in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the rankings. States are scored in four major categories: employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. For the purpose of the study, "adults" include people aged 25 and older.

Texas ranks No. 2 overall in racial progress, placing just behind Georgia (No. 1). But in the study's separate ranking of states with the most racial integration, Texas lands farther down the list, at No. 8.

The racial progress report highlights the Lone Star State's efforts to reduce health insurance coverage gaps between white and Black residents – stating that the divide has reduced more than 13 percent within the last three decades. Improving higher education is another major milestone for the state, the study says.

"Texas has made some of the best progress in the nation when it comes to the share of [B]lack vs. white residents who have at least a bachelor’s degree," the report's author writes. "In fact, it’s one of the only states where the gap has decreased rather than increasing since 1970."

Texas earns top-five rankings in the the categories of education (No. 4) and health (No. 4), and ranked No. 6 in the study's social and civic engagement category. The state falls slightly behind in the employment and wealth category, ranking No. 13 overall.

Texas scores high in the following measures:

  • No. 7 – Change in median annual household income gap
  • No. 10 – Change in poverty rate gap
  • No. 8– Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a high school diploma
  • No. 4 – Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor's degree
  • No. 11 – Change in standardized test scores gap
  • No. 10 – Change in voter turnout gap during the 2020 presidential election

According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, 44 percent of Americans say they feel pessimistic about the nation's "ability to ensure racial equality for all people" in the future, regardless of race or ethnicity. That's compared to 28 percent who feel optimistic."Although our country has made a lot racial progress since the Civil Rights Movement, we still need to do better to ensure equality for everyone," the WalletHub report says. "As we think about ways to improve equality in the future, though, we can also recognize the steps toward racial harmony we’ve already achieved — in our workplaces, in our schools and in our voting booths."Following behind Texas to round out the top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2024 are Mississippi (No. 3), New Mexico (No. 4), Wyoming (No. 5), Connecticut (No. 6), New Jersey (No. 7), Maryland (No. 8), Florida (No. 9), and North Carolina (No. 10).

The report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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Here's how Houston ranks among the best U.S. cities to start a career

New Horizons

College graduates staying in Houston are in the right place to be, according to a new WalletHub study. Houston has emerged on a new list of the 100 best places in America for starting a career.

Houston ranked 51st out of 182 U.S. cities based on its quality of life and vast opportunities for new college graduates transitioning into the workforce. The study compared each city based on 25 relevant metrics, like the availability of entry-level jobs, each city's annual job growth rate, workforce diversity, median annual income, housing affordability, and others.

Atlanta, Orlando, and Austin respectively comprised the top three best places to start a career.

Houston ranked 48th overall for its quality of life, and appeared No. 51 for its professional opportunities for new college graduates. Whether its starting a new business or entering a high-earning job field, Houston has many more opportunities than the vast majority of other cities on the list.

"The best cities for starting a career not only have a lot of job opportunities but also provide substantial income growth potential and satisfying work conditions," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "It’s also important to consider factors such as how fun a city is to live in or how good of a place it is for raising a family, to ensure life satisfaction outside of your career."

Other Texas hotspots for early career professionals
Austin boasts the best quality of life out of all 182 cities in the report, and the 10th best professional opportunities. The state capital also outperformed all other U.S. cities with the highest monthly average starting salaries for early career workers after being adjusted for the city's cost of living. Austin also offers the 15th highest number of entry level jobs per capita, the report said.

In a separate comparison of the cities with the largest share of residents aged 25 to 34, Austin ranked No. 5 nationally.

"In addition, Austin’s median annual household income is the 10th-highest in the nation, providing strong earning potential for those starting a career or a business," the report said. "Austin is also the sixth best city for singles, offering a vibrant social scene alongside strong career opportunities for young professionals."

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas ranked as the second-best city in Texas for new grads to start a career and 12th nationally. Additional cities that made it into the top 100 best U.S. cities for early career professionals include Plano (No. 32), Irving (No. 42), Fort Worth (No. 64), Amarillo (No. 73), and San Antonio (No. 85).

The top 10 best cities for starting a career are:

  • No. 1 – Atlanta, Georgia
  • No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
  • No. 3 – Austin, Texas
  • No. 4 – Tampa, Florida
  • No. 5 – Miami, Florida
  • No. 6 – Charleston, South Carolina
  • No. 7 – Pittsburgh
  • No. 8 – Knoxville, Tennessee
  • No. 9 – Salt Lake City, Utah
  • No. 10 – Columbia, South Carolina
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This article first appeared on CultureMap.com.

Persona AI teams with Under Armour to protect next-gen robots

Future Fabrics

Houston-based Persona AI has cemented a partnership with sportswear manufacturer Under Armour to provide materials to protect future robots operating in dangerous conditions.

Through the partnership, Persona AI and Under Armour will launch a research initiative to explore whether advanced performance textiles can improve the durability and resilience of humanoid robots operating in harsh industrial environments.

“This is an opportunity to apply our innovation expertise in a new context,” Kyle Blakely, senior vice president of innovation, design studio, development, and testing at Under Armour, said in a news release. “Robotics presents a fascinating new design challenge, and we aim to play a leading role in shaping performance solutions for these environments. As humanoid systems take on more physically demanding roles, we see real potential to create new market opportunities, and we’re exploring how concepts like thermal management, abrasion resistance, and flexibility translate beyond sport."

Founded in June 2024 by former NASA engineer Nicolaus Radford and former Figure AI CTO Jerry Pratt, Persona AI has quickly risen to be a top name in the development of humanoid robotic systems. Radford previously was the principal investigator at NASA’s Dexterous Robotics Lab before becoming CEO of Nauticus Robotics. While at NASA, he was the chief engineer behind Robotnaut 2, the first humanoid robot on the International Space Station.

Persona AI raised $25 million in preseed funding to develop humanoid robots designed to operate in shipyards and other industrial sites. The company has inked partnerships with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Robotic, and Korean manufacturing firm Vazil Company to create and deploy humanoid robots for complex welding tasks in shipyards.

These environments often involve exposure to dangerous chemicals, harsh weather and other potential hazards. The partnership between Persona AI and Under Armour will combine the clothing manufacturer’s development of resilient but flexible materials with the humanoid design of Persona AI.

Though best known for its sportswear, Under Armour produces a wide range of specialist fabrics and clothing, including an entire line used by the U.S. military. The company’s track record of developing high-performance fabrics built to withstand war zones and desert conditions makes it a strong partner in Persona AI’s latest endeavor.

“We chose to work with Under Armour because of their track record of innovation with these types of performance materials,” Radford said. “As we develop humanoids for intense and potentially hazardous environments, this collaboration helps us understand how advanced materials can enhance long-term reliability, thereby informing solutions to better protect workers in the field.”

Waymo suspends robotaxi service in Houston due to weather concerns

Transportation news

Waymo has suspended driverless car services in Houston and other major Texas cities, and in Atlanta, after one of its vehicles was stranded by flooding during heavy rains that will likely also hinder travel in a large swath of the U.S over the holiday weekend.

Severe thunderstorms with large hail and gusty winds were possible Friday, May 22 in Texas and other parts of the Southern and Central Plains, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters warned of possible flash flooding along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana on Saturday, when rain and thunderstorms were expected across much of the central and eastern U.S.

The Waymo vehicle got stuck during a downpour in Atlanta on Wednesday that flooded streets and even part of a downtown highway. The vehicle was not occupied and was later recovered, the company said in a statement. At least one other Waymo vehicle was waylaid during the storm.

Waymo serves only the city of Atlanta in Georgia, and services Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio in Texas.

The company paused service in Texas “out of an abundance of caution for the forecasted severe weather,” the statement said.

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