Silicon Valley’s economy trampled Austin, Seattle by billions of dollars during COVID’s first two years

Silicon Valley as an economic juggernaut has reigned supreme throughout the pandemic compared to its rivals in the Sunbelt and Pacific Northwest, newly released numbers show. According to gross domestic product data released this month, Santa Clara County saw the largest growth in the entire country between 2019 and 2021 among areas with more than half a million residents — an eye-popping increase of 19% — or $307 to $382 billion. It places Santa Clara County’s GDP — which is the measure of all goods and services produced within a certain region — roughly equal to the entire economy of Malaysi...