[323], METRO's local bus network services approximately 275,000 riders daily with a fleet of over 1,200 buses. [95] Air conditioning is ubiquitous in Houston; in 1981, annual spending on electricity for interior cooling exceeded $600 million (equivalent to $1.79 billion in 2021), and by the late 1990s, approximately 90% of Houston homes featured air conditioning systems. Friday, March 3, 2023 4:12PM. [102], Houston generally receives ample rainfall, averaging about 49.8in (1,260mm) annually based on records between 1981 and 2010. [28], By 1860, Houston had emerged as a commercial and railroad hub for the export of cotton. Consequently, rather than a single central business district as the center of the city's employment, multiple districts and skylines have grown throughout the city in addition to Downtown, which include Uptown, the Texas Medical Center, Midtown, Greenway Plaza, Memorial City, the Energy Corridor, Westchase, and Greenspoint. Houston, Texas is the 4th largest city in the US. [304] With hospital locations nationwide and headquarters in Houston, the Triumph Healthcare hospital system was the third largest long term acute care provider nationally in 2005. [60] Most of Houston is on the gulf coastal plain, and its vegetation is classified as Western Gulf coastal grasslands while further north, it transitions into a subtropical jungle, the Big Thicket. [59] The city has a total area of 637.4 square miles (1,651km2);[8] this comprises over 599.59 square miles (1,552.9km2) of land and 22.3 square miles (58km2) covered by water. [94] Houston's characteristic subtropical humidity often results in a higher apparent temperature, and summer mornings average over 90% relative humidity. Highways that follow the location convention include Interstate 10 west of Downtown (Katy Freeway), Interstate 69 north of Downtown (Eastex Freeway), Interstate 45 south of Downtown (Gulf Freeway), and Texas State Highway 225 (La Porte or Pasadena Freeway). They have won two NBA Championships, one in 1994 and another in 1995, under star players Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Clyde Drexler, Vernon Maxwell, and Kenny Smith. Anglo Population by Metro Area Among the nations 50 most populous metros, Houston has the 12th largest Anglo population. In response to Hurricane Harvey, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston initiated plans to require developers to build homes that will be less susceptible to flooding by raising them two feet above the 500-year floodplain. Houston Bcycle (also known as B-Cycle), a local non-profit, runs the subscription program, supplying bicycles and docking stations, while partnering with other companies to maintain the system. [325] The Uptown Line, which runs along Post Oak Boulevard in Uptown,[326] was under construction as a bus rapid transit linethe city's firstwhile the University Line has been postponed indefinitely. The school is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and has a student population of approximately 3,000. The city is crossed by three Interstate highways, Interstate 10, Interstate 45, and Interstate 69 (commonly known as U.S. Route 59), as well as a number of other United States routes and state highways. The city controller is elected independently of the mayor and council. Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Disclaimers Privacy Policy Disclaimers Furthermore, Jankowski stated that "more than 100 foreign-owned companies relocated, expanded or started new businesses in Houston" between 2008 and 2010, and this openness to external business boosted job creation during a period when domestic demand was problematically low. [dubious discuss][117], In a recent case testing these regulations, near the Brickhouse Gulley, an old golf course that long served as a floodplain and reservoir for floodwaters, announced a change of heart toward intensifying development. Highways that follow the cardinal convention include U.S. Route 290 (Northwest Freeway), Interstate 45 north of Downtown (North Freeway), Interstate 10 east of Downtown (East Freeway), Texas State Highway 288 (South Freeway), and Interstate 69 south of Downtown (Southwest Freeway). [18][19][20] These tribes are almost nonexistent today; this was most likely caused by foreign disease, and competition with various settler groups in the 18th and 19th centuries. The top three destinations for exports were Mexico, Canada, and Brazil. About 62percent of Hispanics (of any nationality) in the area are declared or favor Democrats. The median household income in 2019 was $52,338 and 20.1% of Houstonians lived at or below the poverty line. Houston is 165 miles (266km) east of Austin,[57] 88 miles (142km) west of the Louisiana border,[58] and 250 miles (400km) south of Dallas. In 2017, the Houston Astros won their first World Series. Renewable energy sourceswind and solarare also growing economic bases in the city,[178][179] and the City Government purchases 90% of its annual 1 TWh power mostly from wind, and some from solar. WebIntimately. [150], Before the 1970s, the city's gay bars were spread around Downtown Houston and what is now midtown Houston. Crime Report Table 4 ". In the early 2010s, two additional linesthe Green Line, servicing the East End, and the Purple Line, servicing the Third Wardopened, and the Red Line was extended northward to Northline, bringing the total length of the system to 22.7 miles (36.5km). Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside the Interstate 610 loop. Houston Public Radio is listener-funded and comprises one NPR member station, KUHF (News 88.7). Beyonc Knowles also originated in Houston. [264] The city has often been known to be the most politically diverse city in Texas, a state known for being generally conservative. Click the Quick Info icon to the left of each row in TABLE view to learn about sampling error. This article is about the city in the U.S. state of Texas. [196] Ninety-one foreign governments have established consular offices in Houston's metropolitan area, the third-highest in the nation. Overall, Houston has seen measurable snowfall 38 times between 1895 and 2018. The region is serviced by four spoke tollways: a set of managed lanes on the Katy Freeway; the Hardy Toll Road, which parallels Interstate 45 north of Downtown up to Spring; the Westpark Tollway, which services Houston's western suburbs out to Fulshear; and Fort Bend Parkway, which connects to Sienna Plantation. [306] As of 2011[update] the dental centers of Harris Health System take patients of ages 16 and up with patients under that age referred to the City of Houston's dental clinics. JOB SUMMARY. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), 23 miles (37km) north of Downtown Houston between Interstates 45 and 69, is the eighth busiest commercial airport in the United States (by total passengers and aircraft movements) and forty-third busiest globally. In 2000, the Houston Astros opened their new baseball stadium, Minute Maid Park, in downtown adjacent to the old Union Station. Their plan would bring in $360 million in revenue and boost city population and tax revenue. The largest and longest-running is the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, held over 20days from early to late March, and is the largest annual livestock show and rodeo in the world. [250] Other sports facilities include Hofheinz Pavilion (Houston Cougars basketball), Rice Stadium (Rice Owls football), and NRG Arena. [269] In 2010, the city's murder rate (per capita rate of 11.8 murders per 100,000 population) was ranked sixth among U.S. cities with a population of over 750,000 (behind New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, and Philadelphia) according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. For the unrelated county, see, This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties The University of Houston (UH) is a research university and the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. [189] Houston is the beginning or end point of numerous oil, gas, and products pipelines. They began going to Art Wren, a 24-hour restaurant in Montrose. [22], The Allen brothersAugustus Chapman and John Kirbyexplored town sites on Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay. These were the first international flights flown from Hobby since the opening of Bush Intercontinental in 1969. There is a strong demand for rental accommodation in the area, due to population growth and a booming economy. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. Houstons metro area population in 2021 was 6,491,000, a rise of 1.88% from 2020. [11][65] The city owns surface water rights for 1.20billion US gallons (4.5Gl) of water a day in addition to 150million US gallons (570Ml) a day of groundwater. Westpark Tollway and Fort Bend Parkway are operated conjunctly with the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority. No significant historically recorded earthquakes have occurred in Houston, but researchers do not discount the possibility of such quakes having occurred in the deeper past, nor occurring in the future. Saloons and gambling halls proliferated and were well attended, and violence was common. Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, dean of the School of Public Health, said a strategic vision for improving population health that includes the implementation and scale-up of Houston city, Texas. Population Estimates, July 1 2022, (V2022) . [61] Flat terrain and extensive greenfield development have combined to worsen flooding. In: Allen, Carol M. (editor). Houston is the most diverse metropolitan area in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major city in the U.S.[16] It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than seven million visitors a year to the Museum District. They paid $5,000 total, but only $1,000 of this in cash; notes made up the remainder. [11] They successfully lobbied the Republic of Texas Congress to designate Houston as the temporary capital, agreeing to provide the new government with a state capitol building. [77], Though Houston is the largest city in the United States without formal zoning regulations, it has developed similarly to other Sun Belt cities because the city's land use regulations and legal covenants have played a similar role. [274][275], In 1853, the first execution in Houston took place in public at Founder's Cemetery in the Fourth Ward; initially, the cemetery was the execution site, but post-1868 executions took place in the jail facilities.[276]. Hearst Communications, which owns and operates the Houston Chronicle, bought the assets of the Houston Postits long-time rival and main competitionwhen Houston Post ceased operations in 1995. [187] In the United States, the port ranks first in international commerce and 16th among the largest ports in the world. Individuals from some other race made up 15.69% of the city's population. The town suffered another setback that year when a yellow fever epidemic claimed about one life for every eight residents, yet it persisted as a commercial center, forming a symbiosis with its Gulf Coast port, Galveston. [123] At the 2014-2018 census estimates, Houston's age distribution was 486,083 under 15; 147,710 aged 15 to 19; 603,586 aged 20 to 34; 726,877 aged 35 to 59; and 357,834 aged 60 and older. [273], In the early 1970s, Houston, Pasadena and several coastal towns were the site of the Houston mass murders, which at the time were the deadliest case of serial killing in American history. National Weather Service Forecast Office, Houston/Galveston, Texas. The increased production of the expanded shipbuilding industry during World War II spurred Houston's growth,[42] as did the establishment in 1961 of NASA's "Manned Spacecraft Center" (renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973). In 1983, the 71-floor, 992-foot (302m)-tall Wells Fargo Plaza (formerly Allied Bank Plaza) was completed, becoming the second-tallest building in Houston and Texas. [183] The Houston Ship Channel is also a large part of Houston's economic base. [339], The Houston Airport System, a branch of the municipal government, oversees the operation of three major public airports in the city. Nineteen school districts exist within the city of Houston. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 removed the quotas, allowing for the growth of other religions. [350], The Mayor's Office of Trade and International Affairs (MOTIA) is the city's liaison to Houston's sister cities and to the national governing organization, Sister Cities International. [99][100] Snowfalls of at least 1 inch (2.5cm) on both December 10, 2008, and December 4, 2009, marked the first time measurable snowfall had occurred in two consecutive years in the city's recorded history. In 2012, the HoustonThe WoodlandsSugar Land area recorded $110.3 billion in merchandise exports. ABCNews. [346], William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), known as Houston International Airport until 1967, operates primarily short- to medium-haul domestic and international flights to 60 destinations. The porous layers were compressed over time and forced upward. The damage for the Houston area was estimated at up to $125 billion U.S. dollars,[55] and was considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States,[56] with the death toll exceeding 70 people. [84], Centered on Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer Road, the Uptown District boomed during the 1970s and early 1980s when a collection of midrise office buildings, hotels, and retail developments appeared along Interstate 610 West. WebUnemployed (2013): 5.4%; Per capita personal income 2013: $27,989. Houston is recognized worldwide for its energy industryparticularly for oil and natural gasas well as for biomedical research and aeronautics. The U.S. incarcerates 530 people for every 100,000 in its population, making it one of the worlds biggest jailers just below El Salvador, Rwanda and Turkmenistan. [14] The Houston area is the top U.S. market for exports, surpassing New York City in 2013, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. The HoustonThe WoodlandsSugar Land metropolitan area is served by one public television station and two public radio stations. Prairie View A&M University's nursing school is in the Texas Medical Center. The population of Texas in 2021 was 29,558,864, a 1.12% increase from 2020. WebTogether, the three counties cover 40% of the nine-county Houston metro area and have a total population of six million that accounts for 87% of the greater regions population as of 2017. Dont risk it all by trusting stereotypes, hunches, or unvalidated hearsay. ". The median age of the city was 33.4. A system of toll roads, operated by the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) and Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority (FBCTRA), provides additional options for regional commuters. Houstonian Jews have origins from throughout the United States, Israel, Mexico, Russia, and other places. WebData Commons is a Google supported project. Approximately 470,000 people lived within the Interstate 610 loop, while 1.65 million lived between Interstate 610 and Beltway 8 and 2.25 million lived within Harris County outside Beltway 8 in 2015. The growth is very controlled. [31] The following year, the discovery of oil at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont prompted the development of the Texas petroleum industry. [17], The Houston area occupying land that was home of the Karankawa (k rangk w,-w,-w) and the Atakapa (tkp) indigenous peoples for at least 2,000 years before the first known settlers arrived. [15], Nicknamed the "Bayou City", "Space City", "H-Town", and "the 713", Houston has become a global city, with strengths in culture, medicine, and research. Other nicknames often used by locals include "Bayou City", "Clutch City", "Crush City", "Magnolia City", "H-Town", and "Culinary Capital of the South". An official website of the United States government. [101] The coldest temperature officially recorded in Houston was 5F (15C) on January 18, 1930. [345] In early 2007, Bush Intercontinental Airport was named a model "port of entry" for international travelers by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Houston (/hjustn/ (listen); HEW-stn) is the most populous city in Texas and in the Southern United States. [248] Minute Maid Park is also a retractable-roof stadium. [294], The primary network-affiliated television stations are KPRC-TV channel 2 (NBC), KHOU channel 11 (CBS), KTRK-TV channel 13 (ABC), KTXH channel 20 (MyNetworkTV), KRIV channel 26 (Fox), KIAH channel 39 (The CW), KXLN-DT channel 45 (Univision), KTMD-TV channel 47 (Telemundo), KPXB-TV channel 49 (Ion Television), KYAZ channel 51 (MeTV) and KFTH-DT channel 67 (UniMs). Houston additionally is served by the Pacifica Foundation public radio station KPFT. The Space Center has many interactive exhibits including moon rocks, a shuttle simulator, and presentations about the history of NASA's manned space flight program. [123][128] An estimated 42.3% of Houstonians owned housing units, with an average of 2.65 people per household. [54] The rainfall exceeded 50 inches in several areas locally, breaking the national record for rainfall. [140][141][142] A 2012 Kinder Institute report found that, based on the evenness of population distribution between the four major racial groups in the United States (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian), Greater Houston was the most ethnically diverse metropolitan area in the United States, ahead of New York City. WebIn Houston 58.27% of the population is White In Houston 22.82% of the population is Black In Houston 6.66% of the population is Asian Compare Houston, TX Demographics vs Compare Houston population breakdown by race In Houston, 44.3% of people are of Hispanic or Latino origin. African Americans formed a large part of the city's population, numbering 23,929 people, which was nearly one-third of Houston's residents. [82], Houston had the fifth-tallest skyline in North America (after New York City, Chicago, Toronto and Miami) and 36th-tallest in the world in 2015. At Houston Methodist, the Nurse Anesthetist II position, under the direction of the attending Anesthesiologist and Chair of the Department, provides pre-anesthesia, anesthesia and post-anesthesia services in a clinical, research and academic environment. The 2020 census puts the states population at 29,145,505 a 16% jump from 25.1 million in 2010. The The Sam Houston Tollway, which encompasses the mainlanes of Beltway 8 (as opposed to the frontage roads, which are untolled), is the longest tollway in the system, covering the entirety of the Beltway with the exception of a free section between Interstate 45 and Interstate 69 near George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Houston is considered to be a politically divided city whose balance of power often sways between Republicans and Democrats. [255] In motorcycling, the Astrodome hosted an AMA Supercross Championship round from 1974 to 2003 and the NRG Stadium since 2003. [162], The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the largest Catholic jurisdiction in Texas and fifth-largest in the United States, was established in 1847. In 1948, the city annexed several unincorporated areas, more than doubling its size. [165] In 2013 Father John Whiteford, the pastor of St. Jonah Orthodox Church near Spring, stated there were about 6,000-9,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians in Houston. [50] One month later, about 2.5million Houston-area residents evacuated when Hurricane Rita approached the Gulf Coast, leaving little damage to the Houston area. NRG Stadium hosted Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017. In 1997, Houstonians elected Lee P. Brown as the city's first African American mayor. Thousands of enslaved black people lived near the city before the American Civil War. [131] Individuals from two or more races made up 2.1% of the city. [76] Outside the loop, the city's typology is more suburban, though many major business districtssuch as Uptown, Westchase, and the Energy Corridorlie well outside the urban core. [173], The Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist communities form a growing sector of the religious demographic after Judaism and Islam. Therefore, Houston exercises transportation planning authority over a 2,000-square-mile (5,200km2) area over five counties, many times larger than its corporate area. Houston is the most populated city in Texas and one of the largest cities in the United States with a total population of 2325502 residents. Also half of the top ten cities with the largest population gains were located in Texas although the city that gained the most new residents throughout 2013 and 2014 was New York City which is also the Restaurants, bakeries, traditional-clothing boutiques, and specialty shops can be found in both areas. The new 20-story Skanska building[85] and BBVA Compass Plaza[86] are the newest office buildings built in Uptown after 30 years. [281] The Greater Houston area's Catholic schools are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. A megachurch, it had 44,800 weekly attendees in 2010, up from 11,000 weekly in 2000. These sediments consist of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic marine matter, that over time, transformed into oil and natural gas. Posted: February 15, 2022. [285] The University of HoustonClear Lake and the University of HoustonDowntown are stand-alone universities within the University of Houston System; they are not branch campuses of the University of Houston. In [27], In 1840, the community established a chamber of commerce, in part to promote shipping and navigation at the newly created port on Buffalo Bayou. In 2015, Southwest Airlines launched service from a new international terminal at Hobby to several destinations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Houston Community College System (HCC) serves most of Houston proper; its main campus and headquarters are in Midtown. [261] The city of Houston's official 2010 census count was 600 shy of the required number; however, as the city was expected to grow beyond 2.1 million shortly thereafter, the two additional districts were added for, and the positions filled during, the August 2011 elections. In addition to Interstate 610, two additional loop highways encircle the city: Beltway 8, with a radius of approximately 10 miles (16km) from Downtown, and State Highway 99 (the Grand Parkway), with a radius of 25 miles (40km). [166] The most prominent Eastern and Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions are the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,[167] the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America,[168] the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria,[169] and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Population Estimates, July 1 2021, (V2021) . Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000", "How Houston has become the most diverse place in America", "In Houston, America's Diverse Future Has Already Arrived", "Join Us in Houston, America's Next Great Black Business Mecca", "Meet 'Black Girl Magic,' The 19 African-American Women Elected As Judges In Texas", "Join us in Houston, America's Next Great Black Business Mecca", "Sylvester Turner mostly right; Houston is 'most diverse', "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Houston city, Texas 2010", "Same Sex Couples Statistics by The Williams Institute", "Houston Lags Behind Other Major Texas Cities in LGBT-Friendliness", "In energy sector, coming out 'can put you at risk', "Equal rights law opponents deliver signatures seeking repeal", "Religion in America: U.S. In 2021, around 7.21 million people resided in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan region in the United States. th. largest Asian 12 largest Anglo. Metro Houston Race/Ethnicity. White 2,482,842 35.5%. Black 1,188,134 17.0%. Hispanic 2,632,586 37.6%. Asian 547,690 7.8% Other* 146,132 2.1%. * Includes Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Alaskan Native, American Indian, some other race, and two or more races. Source: Source: America Community Survey. [109] Ground-level ozone, or smog, is Houston's predominant air pollution problem, with the American Lung Association rating the metropolitan area's ozone level twelfth on the "Most Polluted Cities by Ozone" in 2017, after major cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, and Denver. Users should exercise caution when comparing 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates. [194][195] This is in addition to the 12,500 new graduates the U.H. The Astrodome, nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World",[43] opened in 1965 as the world's first indoor domed sports stadium. QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. [341][342] The five-terminal, five-runway, 11,000-acre (4,500-hectare) airport served 40 million passengers in 2016, including 10 million international travelers. [319] Arterial roads handle an additional 40% of daily VMT, while toll roads, of which Greater Houston has 180 miles (290km), handle nearly 10%.[319]. This trend toward lower rates of violent crime in Houston includes the murder rate, though it had seen a four-year uptick that lasted through 2015. [231] Facilities in the Theater District include the Jones Hallhome of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Society for the Performing Artsand the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The October 2013 event was held using a tweaked version of the 20062007 course. In 2005, the Houston Dynamo soccer team was formed. Though primarily in Harris County, small portions of the city extend into Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties, bordering other principal communities of Greater Houston such as Sugar Land and The Woodlands. Houston has four state universities. Highly regarded restaurants, rated fourth behind Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago. With last year's population surge, Texas became the only state other than California with a resident population above 30 million. [344] United Airlines' share of the Houston Airport System's commercial aviation market was nearly 60% in 2017 with 16 million enplaned passengers. The only other major publication to serve the city is the Houston Presswhich was a free alternative weekly newspaper before the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey resulted in the publication switching to an online-only format on November 2, 2017. [216][217], Houston is highly regarded for its diverse food and restaurant culture. State Rep. Nate Schatzline gives a speech on the opening day of the 2023 legislative session at the Texas Capitol in Austin. In Houston 58.27% of the population is White. [308], Houston is considered an automobile-dependent city, with an estimated 77.2% of commuters driving alone to work in 2016,[309] up from 71.7% in 1990[310] and 75.6% in 2009. [144] Blacks or African Americans made up 22.5% of Houston's population, American Indians made up 0.3% of the population, Asians made up 6.9% (1.7% Vietnamese, 1.3% Chinese, 1.3% Indian, 0.9% Pakistani, 0.4% Filipino, 0.3% Korean, 0.1% Japanese) and Pacific Islanders made up 0.1%. QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. The Houston area has over 150 active faults (estimated to be 300 active faults) with an aggregate length of up to 310 miles (500km),[71][72][73] including the Long PointEureka Heights fault system which runs through the center of the city. [44] The new residents came for numerous employment opportunities in the petroleum industry, created as a result of the Arab oil embargo. Houston merchants profited from selling staples to farmers and shipping the farmers' produce to Galveston. Earl R. Verbeek, Karl W. Ratzlaff, Uel S. Clanton. Economic gains of blacks who entered defense industries continued in the postwar years. [184] Petroleum products, chemicals, and oil and gas extraction equipment accounted for roughly two-thirds of the metropolitan area's exports last year. [305], Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District), the hospital district for Harris County, operates public hospitals (Ben Taub General Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital) and public clinics. [45], Houston has continued to grow into the 21st century, with the population increasing 17% from 2000 to 2019.[46]. [271] The FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) indicates a downward trend of violent crime in Houston over the ten- and twenty-year periods ending in 2016, which is consistent with national trends.