The states of Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota, Alaska, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, Montana, New Hampshire, Hawaii, and Maine all have one thing in common with the RioPlex region — they have fewer high school students than we do.
RioPlex has 164,000 high school students entering colleges and universities that will hone their skills and produce outstanding human capital. For any industry to thrive, it must locate where there’s an abundant, capable labor force. RioPlex has that advantage.
Our region is filled with young people hungry for opportunity — ready to learn, ready to work, and ready to help build the industries of the future.
Across the United States, the workforce is aging, and companies are already feeling the strain. Many are seeking locations with a robust pipeline of skilled, motivated workers. The RioPlex — bridging the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Northern Tamaulipas — offers precisely that.
RioPlex has what no other region can match — a bi-national youth advantage that’s ready to power the next industrial era.
How do you abbreviate the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Tamaulipas? In the words of Joaquín Spamer — call it RioPlex, home to an impressive network of higher-education institutions preparing students for tomorrow’s economy:
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• South Texas College
• Texas A&M
• Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas
• Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores, and other leading institutes
Together, these colleges and universities enroll more than 121,000 students — approximately 70,000 in the Rio Grande Valley and 51,000 in Northern Tamaulipas. This bilingual, cross-border student population is motivated, adaptable, and culturally equipped to thrive in a globalized economy. For companies seeking to grow, this is a deep pool of human capital ready to be shaped into a world-class workforce.
While much of the world worries about shrinking populations, RioPlex is growing. Our regional fertility rate of 1.88 is higher than the U.S. average of 1.6 and nearly matches Mexico’s 1.9. This young, dynamic population ensures that industries investing here can count on a long-term, sustainable labor supply — a decisive competitive edge in a nation growing older.
The future workforce isn’t coming — it’s already here, in the RioPlex.
RioPlex doesn’t just have people — it has the infrastructure to move ideas, goods, services, and technology. The region boasts international bridges, airports, seaports, rail crossings, and even a spaceport. Travelers heading to San Antonio or farther north can see the ongoing I-69 expansion projects connecting RioPlex directly to the national interstate system. The Texas Department of Transportation’s phased upgrades to U.S. 77, U.S. 281, and U.S. 59 will provide the region with direct interstate connectivity to one of the largest markets in the world — enhancing freight flow, logistics, and travel efficiency across Texas and beyond.
And beyond means space — the final frontier, as Star Trek reminded us. With SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in our backyard — located in Starbase, Texas, near Brownsville — the RioPlex connects directly to the next generation of space-based industries. SpaceX’s Starlink constellation already operates around 8,800 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites and plans to deploy thousands more, potentially exceeding 40,000 in the coming years, creating the backbone of global communications and connectivity.
With this infrastructure and a regional workforce ready to engage, RioPlex is strategically positioned to support the growth of the LEO satellite economy and the broader aerospace landscape that will follow.
When industries evaluate where to expand or relocate, they look for three things: workforce, infrastructure, and growth potential. RioPlex checks every box — and then some. This is where ambitious young people will meet their new opportunities, where education meets industry, and where the next generation of leaders is already preparing to take the lead.
RioPlex: The right place, right now, and ready for the future.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was penned by Mario Reyna, executive director of RioPlex, a nonprofit that promotes the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Tamauliupas around the world.
