1 out of 5 top markets for heavy Outdoor users are in Texas.

A new national study by The Media Audit shows that Texans are among some of the heaviest users of outdoor advertising in the U.S. According to the 87-market survey, Houston-Galveston and Riverside-San Bernardino (California) took the top two spots in a survey of the nation’s top heavy outdoor users, followed by Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas. According to the survey, heavy outdoor users are defined as having driven more than 200 miles in a typical week.

Surveys conducted between January 2006 and March 2007 show that an average of 37% of all adults in the U.S. drive more than 200 miles in a typical week, a figure that has remained unchanged from a year earlier. However, among adults in the Houston-Galveston market, 54.1% drive more than 200 miles in a typical week, a figure that is 46% higher than the national average. In Austin, Texas, 51.2% of the adult population drive more than 200 miles in a typical week, up from 48.4% a year earlier. Last year, Austin was ranked 7th in heavy outdoor usage and has moved up in the rankings to third.

Both San Antonio and Dallas-Ft. Worth markets have remained among the top five heaviest outdoor markets for the current and previous year, with nearly half of the adult population in each market who drive more than 200 miles in a typical week.

Bob Jordan, President of Houston-based International Demographics, Inc., states, “Outdoor is an excellent medium for creating ‘top of mind awareness’ and brand reinforcement among upscale consumers. In Houston for example, adults who are heavy users of outdoor earn $67,014 in household income, a figure that is significantly higher than the average adult in this market. Additionally, outdoor stands up against the competition in terms of reach. In Houston, adults who are heavy outdoor users out-number heavy users of newspaper, radio, direct mail and television. That says a lot about the medium’s strengths.”

Other findings related to Outdoor usage include:

– Rounding out the top ten markets for heavy outdoor usage are Atlanta, Georgia (49.3% of the adult population drives 200 or more miles per week), Tulsa, Oklahoma (49.2%), Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina (49%), Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, North Carolina (48.9%) and Jackson, Mississippi (48.6%).

– A special media day analysis conducted among The Media Audit’s 87 measured markets shows that in 47 markets, heavy users of outdoor out-number heavy users of radio, newspaper, TV, and internet with adults who plan to purchase a new car, van, truck, or SUV. The special report will be available from The Media Audit at the upcoming OAAA (Outdoor Advertising Association of America) National Convention and Trade Show May 6 through 8 in San Diego.

For more information at http://www.TheMediaAudit.com