what timezone is the state of texas?
Central Time Zone
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 Located centrally in North America , the state is an important transportation hub . From the Dallas / Fort Worth area , trucks can reach 93 percent of the nation 's population within 48 hours , and 37 percent within 24 hours . Texas has 33 foreign trade zones ( FTZ ) , the most in the nation . In 2004 , a combined total of $ 298 billion of goods passed though Texas FTZs . 

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 Unlike the rest of the nation , most of Texas is on its own alternating current power grid , the Texas Interconnection . Texas has a deregulated electric service . Texas leads the nation in total net electricity production , generating 437 @,@ 236 MWh in 2014 , 89 % more MWh than Florida , which ranked second . As an independent nation , Texas would rank as the world 's eleventh @-@ largest producer of electricity , after South Korea , and ahead of the United Kingdom . 

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 The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Texas was 27 @,@ 469 @,@ 114 on July 1 , 2015 , a 9 @.@ 24 percent increase since the 2010 United States Census . 

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 The size and unique history of Texas make its regional affiliation debatable ; it can be fairly considered a Southern or a Southwestern state , or both . The vast geographic , economic , and cultural diversity within the state itself prohibits easy categorization of the whole state into a recognized region of the United States . Notable extremes range from East Texas which is often considered an extension of the Deep South , to Far West Texas which is generally acknowledged to be part of the interior Southwest . 

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 The state has three cities with populations exceeding one million : Houston , San Antonio , and Dallas . These three rank among the 10 most populous cities of the United States . As of 2010 , six Texas cities had populations greater than 600 @,@ 000 people . Austin , Fort Worth , and El Paso are among the 20 largest U.S. cities . Texas has four metropolitan areas with populations greater than a million : Dallas – Fort Worth – Arlington , Houston – Sugar Land – Baytown , San Antonio – New Braunfels , and Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos . The Dallas – Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas number about 6 @.@ 3 million and 5 @.@ 7 million residents , respectively . 
