SHERMAN, TEXAS -- Through the recession, Sherman was stable. Now, in the recovery, stability has positioned the city for a growth spurt.

"We really do need more in the workforce. We want to see a growing workforce. It means people are moving to the area and that's going to continue to allow us to grow," Sherman Economic Development Corporation President Scott Connell said.

Texas Workforce Commission numbers show Sherman's unemployment rate at 7.2 percent, but still lower than the national average.

Connell says the workforce will only grow from here.

"We've added a couple thousand jobs over the last year, just in Grayson County, which is pretty phenomenal," Connell said.

Panda Energy is also lending a hand in improving the local economy. They're breaking ground on a new power plant expansion, which will add 600 construction jobs.

Connell says developments like this are triggering a population influx from the metroplex.

"I would say that we probably may be looking at a faster growth period over the next five years, simply because the growth in Dallas is headed this way," Connell said.

Connell says this boost will change Sherman's industry from a hub for manufacturing to a technology-strong town.

"We're lucky in that we've had a long history of technology companies here in this market, which gives us a leg up on some opportunities. We're going to see a lot of everything. A lot of new, everything from retail, office, medical, the whole thing that supports a local economy," Connell said.