City · Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston, city, mostly in Harris County (97.9% of its 2020 residents), with parts in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, Texas. Houston had 2,397,315 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,304,580 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,328,253 (±196). GEOID 4835000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,397,315
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,304,580 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,328,253 ±196
Median household income
$64,813
±$822 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$277,800
±$3,403 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$1,361
±$8 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Houston and what county is it in?
Houston is a city mostly in Harris County (97.9% of its 2020 residents), with parts in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, Texas. It covers 640.8 square miles of land, 3,597 residents per square mile in 2020.
Houston is in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 10 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 2,255,442 | 97.9% |
| Fort Bend County | 42,369 | 1.8% |
| Montgomery County | 6,769 | 0.3% |
| Waller County | land only, no residents | – |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Houston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,397,315 people lived in Houston on July 1, 2025, up 4.2% since 2020, slower than Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,304,580 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,328,253 (±196).
| Measure | Houston | Harris County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,328,253±196 | 4,838,303 | +17,821 |
| Households | 930,404±3,659 | 1,757,164 | +72,030 |
| Average household size | 2.46±0.01 | 2.73 | −0.19 |
| Housing units | 1,040,576±3,254 | 1,917,790 | +71,872 |
Houston's population since 2000
From 1,953,631 in 2000 to 2,397,315 in 2025: up 22.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Houston as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Houston?
The median resident of Houston is 34.4 years old; 23.4% are under 18 and 12.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 44.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 23.2%. 29.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Houston | Harris County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4±0.2 | 34.6 | +1.4 |
| Under 18 years | 23.4%±0.2 pts | 25.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.3%±0.1 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Male | 49.4%±0.2 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 44.2%±0.4 pts | 44.0% | −0.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 23.2%±0.3 pts | 26.6% | −1.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 22.3%±0.4 pts | 18.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.9%±0.2 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8%±0.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 29.3%±0.4 pts | 26.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 47.1%±0.4 pts | 45.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5%±0.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| With a disability | 11.5%±0.2 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 23.7%±0.4 pts | 20.9% | +0.6 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.4%±0.3 pts | 82.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.6%±0.4 pts | 34.2% | +3.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.1%±0.3 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.9%±0.4 pts | 85.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9%±0.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Houston earn?
Half of Houston's 930,404 households earn less than $64,813 a year (±$822), against $74,983 in Harris County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $64,412 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Houston | Harris County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,813±$822 | $74,983 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $104,554±$1,267 | $111,429 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,430±$513 | $41,006 | +$2,407 |
| People below the poverty line | 19.9%±0.4 pts | 16.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.1%±0.9 pts | 23.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.5%±0.4 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.8%±0.2 pts | 96.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.1%±0.3 pts | 92.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Houston?
Owners occupy 42.1% of Houston's occupied homes and renters 57.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $277,800 by its owner (±$3,403). The median renter pays $1,361 a month including utilities, and 44.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Houston | Harris County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $277,800±$3,403 | $276,600 | +$66,367 |
| Median gross rent | $1,361±$8 | $1,401 | +$80 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.5%±0.7 pts | 44.4% | +2.6 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,240±$27 | $2,155 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 42.1%±0.5 pts | 54.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 57.9%±0.5 pts | 45.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,040,576±3,254 | 1,917,790 | +71,872 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.7%±0.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.0%±0.3 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 42.7%±0.4 pts | 56.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.0%±0.1 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.4%±0.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 14.5%±0.4 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.0%±0.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.1%±0.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Houston building?
Builders took permits for 11,878 new housing units in Houston in 2025 (4,774 in single-family houses), 5.0 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Houston work and get to work?
67.7% of Houston's workers drive alone and 13.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.9%.
| Measure | Houston | Harris County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.2%±0.4 pts | 67.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9%±0.2 pts | 6.7% | +1.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 67.7%±0.4 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.6%±0.3 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.2%±0.2 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.0%±0.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.0%±0.3 pts | 12.9% | +9.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.2 min±0.2 | 29.0 min | −0.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Houston?
661 census tracts lie mostly in Houston, and 407 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $15,833 (Tract 3128) to $250,000 or more (Tract 5108.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3309.01Harris County | 10,349 | $83,794 |
| Tract 3341.01Harris County | 9,558 | $79,638 |
| Tract 9802Harris County | 9,542 | $84,514 |
| Tract 2520.03Harris County | 10,901 | $173,138 |
| Tract 5331Harris County | 8,754 | $61,139 |
| Tract 3402.02Harris County | 8,505 | $170,807 |
| Tract 3303.01Harris County | 7,924 | $71,852 |
| Tract 5219Harris County | 7,366 | $90,903 |
| Tract 4521.01Harris County | 7,306 | $74,299 |
| Tract 2511Harris County | 7,435 | $107,067 |
| Tract 2513Harris County | 7,242 | $131,636 |
| Tract 5213Harris County | 7,160 | $60,095 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Houston) · Census block assignment files
How does Houston compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Houston is the 4th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Houston ranks 510th of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 1st | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 381st | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 57th | 979 |
| Median household income | 510th | 933 |
| Per capita income | 237th | 978 |
| Median home value | 291st | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 267th | 852 |
| Poverty rate | 238th | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 201st | 877 |
| Median age | 642nd | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 950th | 973 |
| Work from home | 259th | 557 |
| Travel time to work | 419th | 976 |
Houston's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Houston with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Houston?
2 of the 57 figures for Houston on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Houston are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Houston.