Houston -- a growing and diverse metropolis in the heart of Texas
It’s been said that everything is bigger in Texas, and the city of Houston is certainly doing its part to live up to that Lone Star motto. With over 2.3 million residents, Houston is the largest city in the state and the fourth largest in the U.S. It’s also growing rapidly: From 2022 to 2023, nearly 140,000 people moved to the Houston metro area, one of the biggest population gains in the country. Given its size, it’s no surprise that Houston is a mosaic of cultures and ethnicities. There are more than 145 different languages spoken by Houstonians, and 90 foreign countries have consular representation in the city. When asked to describe Houston in one sentence, local broker associate Jared Greenburg of Keller Williams Premier says it’s a tough request. “It’s a melting pot of anything you want. Of any kind of culture, food, or experience you want to have. I think it is one of the most diverse cities in the nation,” he says.
In a way, Houston could be encapsulated by one word: energy. Not only is the local economy dominated by the energy sector, but the city itself has palpable energy. Houstonians can sample cuisine from around the world at more than 10,000 restaurants or immerse themselves in culture at world-class museums in the city's Museum Park community. There are over 600 urban parks and dozens of concert venues and pro sports arenas, including Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. The 17-block theater district is a hub for the performing arts, with venues for the city's ballet, symphony and opera companies, as well as live theater and concerts. There are also over 40 colleges and universities in Houston.
Home to 24 Fortune 500 companies — third in the U.S. behind New York and Chicago — Houston continues to grow thanks to a diversified economy. In addition to oil and gas, renewable energy is a major industry here, as are technology and healthcare. Houston is also home to the Johnson Space Center inside the Clear Lake area. Collectively, the city’s Gross Domestic Product is the seventh largest of any United States metropolitan area.
I-10 skirts the edge of the Heights, offering easy access to downtown Houston.
Houston is a vibrant melting pot, rich with diverse ethnicities and Hispanic heritage.
Minute Maid Park in Downtown is the home to the World Champion Houston Astros.
Houston is home to the iconic Johnson Space Center, NASA's hub for human spaceflight.
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"Super neighborhoods" and sprawling suburbs
Houston spans some 665 square miles and is best thought of as a city that encircles its relatively compact downtown sector. Downtown Houston is officially designated as the area north and east of Interstate 45, west of U.S Highway 59 and South of Buffalo Bayou. That vicinity is encircled by Loop 610, and the area between downtown and 610 is called the Inner Loop. The city's more suburban areas are North, South, East and West Houston.
There’s a vast number of neighborhoods in Houston and each has its own identity. Among them are the Warehouse District, with its funky artist lofts; downtown Houston, featuring luxury high-rise condos and apartments; the stately grandeur of River Oaks and the trendy chic of Midtown . The Greater Heights , in northwest-central Houston, solidly embodies a trending and transitional neighborhood for Houston, where vintage homes are being torn down and replaced by modern styles, leaving 1930s bungalows sitting in stride with contemporary townhouses. Beyond are the booming suburbs, including Aldine to the north, Pearland to the south, Pasadena to the east and Alief to the west. A unique feature of Houston's neighborhoods is the designation of "super neighborhoods," that is, areas where citizens, civic organizations and corporate institutions collaborate to address the needs and priorities of their community. Houston has created 88 different super neighborhoods, and designated officers from each area communicate with the mayor's office about concerns affecting residents in specific super neighborhoods.
The median housing price in Houston is around $320,000. However, Greenberg says this is misleading due to the city’s vastness. "I don't even look at the Houston [median] because it doesn't really tell me anything. I could show you areas where it's at least a million to buy a house and another where you can get a house for $300,000 to $400,000,” he says. “It's very area dependent on price and I would say $330,000 is the low end to finding a good house in the Houston area. The average person may want to spend more than that.” In 2023, home prices dipped, continuing a trend from the previous two years, and that downward slant is projected to continue into 2024. However, because of the city's robust economy and steady population growth, that trend is forecast to change direction in the long term, with prices projected to rise over the next 10 years. Greenberg says it's hard to predict appreciation rates, but he hopes it's slow and steady at 3% to 5% per year. "We have had within the last four to five years an affordability problem. Prices went up a huge amount, but income has not gone up much at all," he says.
Homebuyers looking to be near Houston but in areas with a more rural-suburban or small-town atmosphere might consider Katy, Tomball or Magnolia. The Woodlands is another popular city in the metroplex for its master-planned design integrated with the surrounding forest.
Downtown Houston can be seen from Midtown.
Night life in the Heights is vibrant and residents are drawn to the Heights Theater.
Houston Heights is characterized by colorful bungalows from the 1930s, which are situated among
Clear Lake is a thriving suburb of Houston, known for its rapid growth and vibrant community.
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Houston's thriving dining, shopping and events scene
Just as it’s hard to describe Houston in a sentence, it’s also challenging to pinpoint a specific cultural event that the city is truly known for. “You have so many things you can do,” Greenberg says. “You can get on Google and find hundreds and hundreds of things including the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, where people watch musicals and plays, and the Toyota Center where people watch the Houston Rockets [basketball team]. And the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year is a huge one. It’s a giant event that is almost a full month long." The rodeo is the largest in the world, attracting over 2 million to NRG Stadium every spring while generating hundreds of millions of dollars for the city annually. Houston has five professional sports teams playing in five different venues: the Houston Astros, Houston Texans, Houston Rockets, Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash.
Among the Museum District’s 19 different cultural sites, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has a collection of nearly 80,000 works of art from around the world, and includes the new Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, established in 2020 to display international examples of modern and contemporary art. The Museum District is also home to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Children’s Museum of Houston and the Houston Zoo.
In 2024, Travel + Leisure put Houston on the list of the top 10 food cities in America. It's not surprising given Houston's diversity of offerings: Diners can travel the world, with cuisines representing more than 70 countries. Houston is well-known for its Tex-Mex — the legendary Ninfa's Tex-Mex chain opened in 1973 — as well as barbecue and southern comfort food like chicken fried steak. It's also home to chefs like James Beard Award-winner Benchawan Jabthong Painter, as well as numerous finalists and semi-finalists for the prestigious award. The Greater Heights and Montrose communities are among the top dining hotspots in the city.
As for shopping, while there are many small and large shopping centers in Houston, the city is known for The Galleria – the largest mall in Texas. The Galleria has a year-round ice rink, more than 400 stores and 60-plus restaurants. Rice Village, an open-air mall in University Place , is another local staple offering national and local retailers. Mega-churches in the Houston metropolitan area include Lakewood Church and Woodlands Church.
The Museum District in Houston is home to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the Houston Zoo, a jewel in Museum Park.
Houston is well-known for its Tex-Mex--the legendary Ninfa's Tex-Mex chain opened in 1973.
Houston is famous for The Galleria, the largest mall in Texas.
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Over 600 city parks
More than 12% of Houston’s area is dedicated to parks and recreation, and the city maintains over 600 parks. The Trust for Public Land estimates that 61% of Houstonians can get to a park on foot within 10 minutes. The centerpiece, both literally and figuratively, of the Houston park system is Memorial Park, located in the Inner Loop section of the city. It features a nearly 3-mile circular path for walking and jogging, tennis courts, sports fields, a fitness center, 6 additional miles of mountain bike trails and a community pool. Memorial Park is also home to the public Memorial Park Golf Course as well as the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Houston has 150 miles of Bayou Greenways and 40,000 acres of green space, and more parks are planned.
Memorial Park near Cottage Grove beckons with vast greenery, offering a serene escape.
Houston has 40,000 acres of green space including the popular Hermann Park area.
City of Houston maintains over 600 parks, including the Eleanor Tinsley Park.
At Memorial Park, a golfer perfects their putt on the green.
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There are many 100 degree days in Houston
Houstonian’s experience more 100-degree days than not and keep their AC running into October and November. “We get a few months of normal weather in the 70s and 80s and one or two months of cold weather, which is 30s, 40s, 50s, but then most of the year it's very, very hot and humid,” Greenberg says. Hurricanes are also to be expected here, with the last major hurricanes being Harvey in 2017 -- which left wide swathes of the city underwater -- and Beryl in 2024. Other weather challenges the city has faced are extreme heat, tornadoes and winds up to 100 miles an hour. Power outages can be an issue after storms.
Residents of Houston experience temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.
One of the biggest challenges that Houstonians face is the threat of flooding and high water.
Houston residents enjoy a summer day at Oyster Creek Park to cool off.
Houston has a variety of community pools and splash pads available to help residents stay cool d
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From ride shares through METRO to bikes for rent
Traffic in Houston, especially at peak times, can be notoriously heavy, given the population density and frequent road construction on major thoroughfares. The city does have multiple interstates running through it — including I-45, I-610 and I-69 — so those who do need to commute have convenient, if not speedy, access to highways.
METRO is the city’s rapid transit system and includes both bus and light rail routes. Bus lines cover the entire city, and train service currently serves stops within the Inner Loop and downtown areas. The city also offers a bike-share program called BCycle. There are currently over 1,000 bikes available and more than 150 rental stations. The city’s bike plan, adopted in 2017, has committed to creating 18,000 bike lanes. There are currently over 340 high-comfort lanes, meaning they are safe for all ages and abilities.
Houston has two airports: William P. Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental. Hobby is the smaller of the two and is served by seven different airlines offering departures to 70 domestic and international destinations. Bush Intercontinental is served by 28 different airlines and offers departures to 187 non-stop domestic and international destinations.
Houston ISD and lots of colleges
The City of Houston’s grade school population is served by the Houston Independent School District, which earns an overall grade of B from Niche. The district includes 184 elementary schools, 60 middle schools and 50 high schools. The city is also home to an array of private schools, including St. John’s School, ranked as the best private school in the state of Texas by Niche, which gives the school an A-plus rating.
The top school districts in the surrounding metro area are Katy Independent School District (ISD), Tomball ISD and Friendswood ISD. These districts are named after their associated cities, all of which are within 30 miles of Houston.
Houston has more than 400,000 students enrolled in more than 100 colleges, community colleges, technical and trade schools in the Houston area. Universities in Houston include Rice University, the University of Houston, South Texas College of Law and the University of Texas Health Science Center.
The football stadium at Rice University draws a large crowd for games.
Texas Southern Universty has a rich and cultured history in the Third Ward neighborhood.
Katy Elementary School, in Katy, TX, anchors the community with a legacy since 1898.
The campus of St. John's School buzzes with energy as students collaborate on projects.
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Crime in Houston
According to FBI crime statistics, Houston’s violent and property crime rates are well above the national average. However, the Houston Police Department noted a slight decrease in the property crime rate from 2023 to 2024. The highest levels of crime in the city tend to be in the southern and eastern sections, while the area west of downtown has the lowest levels.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
