If any dictionary needed a contemporary example of a boomtown, Austin would surely fit the bill.
Fueled by a low cost of living as well as a thriving, diverse economy that in recent years has seem major technology companies complement the existing strength of state government and the University of Texas, Austin has seen its population grow by nearly 25% during the past decade. Last year, Austin passed rival technology hub San Jose, Calif., to become the 10th largest U.S. city, with a population of just under 975,000.