Houston, TX

Census Place

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2020 Population

2.31M

0.121% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

33.3

0.909% 1-year increase

2018 Poverty Rate

20.6%

2.75% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$53,600

2.41% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$186,800

8.73% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

1.13M

0.607% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Houston, TX had a population of 2.31M people with a median age of 33.3 and a median household income of $53,600. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Houston, TX grew from 2.31M to 2.31M, a 0.121% increase and its median household income grew from $52,338 to $53,600, a 2.41% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Houston, TX are White (Hispanic) (27.4%), White (Non-Hispanic) (24.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (22.3%), Other (Hispanic) (11.1%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.8%).

None of the households in Houston, TX reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

80.6% of the residents in Houston, TX are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Houston, TX are University of Houston (10,715 degrees awarded in 2020), Houston Community College (225423) (7,125 degrees), and University of Houston-Downtown (3,607 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Houston, TX was $186,800, and the homeownership rate was 42.9%.

Most people in Houston, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Houston, TX was 2 cars per household.

Photo by Katie Haugland Bowen

Population & Diversity

Houston, TX is home to a population of 2.31M people, from which 80.6% are citizens. As of 2020, 28.9% of Houston, TX residents were born outside of the country (668k people).

In 2020, there were 1.13 times more White (Hispanic) residents (634k people) in Houston, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 559k White (Non-Hispanic) and 516k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

80.6%

2020 Citizenship

79.8%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 80.6% of Houston, TX residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Houston, TX was 79.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Houston, TX compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Houston, TX

White (Hispanic)
634k ± 9.39k
White (Non-Hispanic)
559k ± 5.96k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
516k ± 7.18k

44.5%

Hispanic Population

1.03M people

44.5% of the people in Houston, TX are hispanic (1.03M people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Houston, TX as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Texas.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,484,512 ± 36,982 people
India
279,123 ± 12,908 people
El Salvador
219,615 ± 11,461 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,484,512 Texas residents, followed by India with 279,123 and El Salvador with 219,615.

Foreign-Born Population

28.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

668k people

29.3%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

678k people

As of 2020, 28.9% of Houston, TX residents (668k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Houston, TX was 29.3%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Houston, TX compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
20,104 ± 986
Gulf War (2001-)
16,947 ± 1,365
Gulf War (1990s)
10,728 ± 1,293

Houston, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.19 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Houston, TX employs 1.13M people. The largest industries in Houston, TX are Health Care & Social Assistance (125,103 people), Construction (123,333 people), and Retail Trade (111,697 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($105,584), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($102,752), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($102,727).

Males in Texas have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,589. The income inequality in Texas (measured using the Gini index) is 0.478, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

1.13M

2020 Value

± 10,325

−0.607%

1 Year decline

± 1.24%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Houston, TX declined at a rate of −0.607%, from 1.13M employees to 1.13M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Houston, TX, are Sales & Related Occupations (112,504 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (108,396 people), and Management Occupations (106,856 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Houston, TX.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Texas (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.13M

2020 Value

± 10,325

−0.607%

1 Year decline

± 1.24%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Houston, TX declined at a rate of −0.607%, from 1.13M employees to 1.13M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Houston, TX, are Health Care & Social Assistance (125,103 people), Construction (123,333 people), and Retail Trade (111,697 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Houston, TX, though some of these residents may live in Houston, TX and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,448

Median earning men ± $592

$31,191

Median earning women ± $346

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($108,548), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,114), and Public Administration ($60,571).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($90,144), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($44,499), and Manufacturing ($44,105).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Texas. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Texas.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Texas to other states, or from other states to Texas.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Electronics
$292B
Gasoline
$210B
Fuel oils
$178B

In 2020, the top outbound Texas product (by dollars) was Electronics with $292B, followed by Gasoline ($210B) and Fuel oils ($178B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Texas products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Texas.

$2.36T

2020 Value in Texas

$4.5T

Projected 2050 Value in Texas

90.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Texas trade was $2.36T. This is expected to increase 90.9% to $4.5T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Texas trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Texas to other states, or from other states to Texas.

Most Common Trade Partners

Louisiana
$78.1B
California
$76.4B
Michigan
$74.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Texas domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Louisiana with $78.1B, followed by California with $76.4B and Michigan and $74.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Texas shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing the state of Texas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Texas is currently represented by 36 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Texas

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

John Cornyn

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on December 2, 2002
Phil Gramm resigned (effective November 30, 2002) a few weeks before the expiration of his term in hopes that his successor, fellow Republican John Cornyn, could gain seniority over other newly elected senators. However, Cornyn did not gain additional seniority due to a 1980 Rules Committee policy.

Ted Cruz

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing Texas.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Texas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Texas

Texas is currently represented by 36 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Texas have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Houston, TX awarded 38,070 degrees. The student population of Houston, TX in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 66,632 male students and 92,567 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Houston, TX are Hispanic or Latino (12,067 and 34.8%), followed by White (8,277 and 23.8%), Black or African American (7,635 and 22%), and Asian (4,718 and 13.6%).

The largest universities in Houston, TX by number of degrees awarded are University of Houston (10,715 and 28.1%), Houston Community College (225423) (7,125 and 18.7%), and University of Houston-Downtown (3,607 and 9.47%).

The most popular majors in Houston, TX are General Studies (2,967 and 7.79%), General Business Administration & Management (2,937 and 7.71%), and Medical Assistant (1,392 and 3.66%).

The median tuition costs in Houston, TX are $30,800 for private four year colleges, and $6,941 and $20,665 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Houston, TX, the percentage of applicants admitted was 50.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 25.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 159,199 (41.9% men and 58.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 159,199 students enrolled in Houston, TX, 41.9% men and 58.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 52,822 records, of which 60.5% were women and 39.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Multidisciplinary Studies
1,078 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
935 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
905 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Houston, TX was Other Multidisciplinary Studies with 1,078 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Houston, TX according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Houston
10,715 degrees awarded
Houston Community College (225423)
7,125 degrees awarded
University of Houston-Downtown
3,607 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Houston with 10,715 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 16,029 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Houston, TX, which is 0.727 times less than the 22,041 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 12,067 degrees mean that there were 1.46 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 8,277 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($30,800) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,456) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($2,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

Measure

In 2020, 1.35% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.35% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (5.56M), Some college (5.02M), and Bachelors Degree (3.9M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Houston, TX was $186,800 in 2020, which is 0.813 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $171,800 to $186,800, a 8.73% increase. The homeownership rate in Houston, TX is 42.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Houston, TX have an average commute time of 27.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Houston, TX is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Houston, TX is $53,600. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Houston, TX was Census Tract 4114 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4126 and Census Tract 4128, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

Housing

Property

$186,800

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,062

$375,219

Median Property Taxes

±$5,346

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Houston, TX the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Houston, TX compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

42.9%

Homeownership

2020

65.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 42.9% of the housing units in Houston, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 42.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Houston, TX compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 4114
Census Tract 4126
Census Tract 4128

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Houston, TX was Census Tract 4114 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4126 and Census Tract 4128, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the places in Houston, TX colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,600

Median Household Income

± $580

875k

Number of Households

± 8,937

In 2020, the median household income of the 875k households in Houston, TX grew to $53,600 from the previous year's value of $52,338.

The following chart displays the households in Houston, TX distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Houston, TX is from Texas.

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Texas

0.48

2019 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2020, the income inequality in Texas was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.474% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Texas in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Texas across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (75.9%)
Carpooled (9.98%)
Worked At Home (6.16%)

In 2020, 75.9% of workers in Houston, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.98%) and those who worked at home (6.16%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

27.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Houston, TX have a longer commute time (27.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.87% of the workforce in Houston, TX have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Houston, TX compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Houston, TX distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Houston, TX have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

20.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Houston, TX (466k out of 2.26M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Houston, TX is Hispanic, followed by White and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

76.8% of the population of Houston, TX has health coverage, with 40% on employee plans, 19.1% on Medicaid, 7.96% on Medicare, 9% on non-group plans, and 0.731% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Texas was $6,998 in 2014. This is a 5.06% increase from the previous year ($6,661).

Primary care physicians in Harris County, TX see 1709 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.707% increase from the previous year (1697 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1414 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 800 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Texas. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Texas, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Harris County, TX.

1,709 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Harris County, TX

Primary care physicians in Harris County, TX see an average of 1,709 patients per year. This represents a 0.707% increase from the previous year (1,697 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Harris County, TX in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Texas across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.1% under 18 years, 26.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 10.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

23.2%

Uninsured

40%

Employer Coverage

19.1%

Medicaid

7.96%

Medicare

Non-Group

0.731%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Houston, TX grew by 0.41% from 23.1% to 23.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Houston, TX changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.