HOUSTON--A new study shows just how much the Houston economy has benefited from the rental boom in the apartment industry, which has emerged as one of the strongest sectors coming out of the recent recession.

According to economic data that is part of new research commissioned by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA), in 2013, apartment construction, operations and resident spending contributed $22.6 billion and supported more than 218,600 jobs in the metro area.

“Thanks to the unparalleled job growth in the recent years and a bustling economy, Houston's apartment industry continues to experience tremendous growth and the numbers in the NAA/NMHC study show just that,” Jackie Rhone, president of the Houston Apartment Association, told GlobeSt.com. “We have added approximately 20,000 apartment units in 2014, and another 3,000 just this year, with additional 100 communities currently under construction.”