The University of Houston System owns and holds broadcasting licenses to KUHT and KUHF. This article is about the city in the U.S. state of Texas. [245] The Houston Texans are a National Football League expansion team formed in 2002. [332] The city is currently in the process of expanding its on and off street bikeway network.[when? There were 14,891 boardings and alightings in FY2008,[328] 20,327 in FY2012,[329] and 20,205 in FY2018. ][333] In 2015, Downtown Houston added a cycle track on Lamar Street, running from Sam Houston Park to Discovery Green. [163] Other prominent Catholic jurisdictions include the Eastern Catholic Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church and Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as well as the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, whose cathedral is also in Houston. Through their official city-to-city relationships, these volunteer associations promote people-to-people diplomacy and encourage citizens to develop mutual trust and understanding through commercial, cultural, educational, and humanitarian exchanges. [297] OutSmart is an LGBT magazine in Houston and was ranked "Best Local Magazine" by the Houston Press in 2008. Across Houstons three-county area, the population has grown by 124% since 1980, from 2.7 million to almost 6 million in 2017. Economist and vice president of research at the Greater Houston Partnership Patrick Jankowski attributed Houston's success to the ability of the region's real estate and energy industries to learn from historical mistakes. KUHT channel 8 (Houston Public Media) is a PBS member station and is the first public television station in the United States. [247], Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros) and ToyotaCenter (home of the Rockets), are in Downtown Houston. 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 [172] It is estimated that Muslims made up 1.2% of Houston's population. [322] Roadway classification affects anticipated traffic volumes, roadway design, and right of way breadth. [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. Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Disclaimers Privacy Policy Disclaimers [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. By 1930, Houston had become Texas's most populous city and Harris County the most populous county. [159], According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, 73% of the population of the Houston area identified themselves as Christians, about 50% of whom claimed Protestant affiliations and about 19% claimed Roman Catholic affiliations. [34] In 1940, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Houston's population as 77.5% White and 22.4% Black. Population. [62] Downtown stands about 50 feet (15m) above sea level,[63] and the highest point in far northwest Houston is about 150 feet (46m) in elevation. [337] The network expanded to 29 stations and 225 bicycles in 2014, registering over 43,000 checkouts of equipment during the first half of the same year. Sam Houston Park contains restored and reconstructed homes which were originally built between 1823 and 1905. [187] In the United States, the port ranks first in international commerce and 16th among the largest ports in the world. METRO's service area covers 1,303 square miles (3,370km2) containing a population of 3.6 million. [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. Saloons and gambling halls proliferated and were well attended, and violence was common. Houston has the NFL's first retractable-roof stadium with natural grass, NRG Stadium (home of the Texans). Several private institutions of higher learning are within the city. [54] The rainfall exceeded 50 inches in several areas locally, breaking the national record for rainfall. [281] The Greater Houston area's Catholic schools are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The metro area population of Houston in 2022 was 6,603,000, a 1.73% 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. [118] A nationwide developer, Meritage Homes, bought the land and planned to develop the 500-year floodplain into 900 new residential homes. [317] In addition, many households in the city of Houston have no car. 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. [210] The city is home to the nation's third-largest concentration of consular offices, representing 92 countries. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 removed the quotas, allowing for the growth of other religions. [92] Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, which bring heat and moisture from the nearby Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay. In 2000 there were over 41 mosques and storefront religious centers, with the largest being the Al-Noor Mosque (Mosque of Light) of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020. [35], Houston is home to one of the largest LGBT communities and pride parades in the United States. About 62percent of Hispanics (of any nationality) in the area are declared or favor Democrats. Houston is the southeast anchor of the greater megaregion known as the Texas Triangle.[7]. [316], Despite the region's high rate of automobile usage, attitudes towards transportation among Houstonians indicate a growing preference for walkability. The region's geology developed from river deposits formed from the erosion of the Rocky Mountains. LGBT Houstonians needed to have a place to socialize after the closing of the gay bars. Population Estimates, July 1 2021, (V2021) . The Houston City Council passed this regulation in 2018 with a vote of 97. [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. The population of Texas in 2021 was 29,558,864, a 1.12% increase from 2020. [51][52] In May 2015, seven people died after 12 inches of rain fell in 10 hours during what is known as the Memorial Day Flood. [186] Much of its success as a petrochemical complex is due to its busy ship channel, the Port of Houston. Buffalo Bayou runs through Downtown and the Houston Ship Channel, and has three tributaries: White Oak Bayou, which runs through the Houston Heights community northwest of Downtown and then towards Downtown; Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center;[67] and Sims Bayou, which runs through the south of Houston and Downtown Houston. Investing in rental real estate in Houston, TX has many advantages. [13][14] The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled. LGBT community members were attracted to Montrose as a neighborhood after encountering it while patronizing Art Wren, and they began to gentrify the neighborhood and assist its native inhabitants with property maintenance. 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. [348] In 2022 Hobby Airport was certified as the first 5-Star Airport in North America by Skytrax. First of all, Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and is the economic center of the region. Earl R. Verbeek, Karl W. Ratzlaff, Uel S. Clanton. [349], Houston's third municipal airport is Ellington Airport, used by the military, government (including NASA) and general aviation sectors. An official website of the United States government. The third, Ellington Airport, is home to the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. [226][227][228], Houston is one of few United States cities with permanent, professional, resident companies in all major performing arts disciplines: opera (Houston Grand Opera), ballet (Houston Ballet), music (Houston Symphony Orchestra), and theater (The Alley Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars). [258] The current mayor of Houston is Sylvester Turner, a Democrat elected on a nonpartisan ballot. [2] In 2017, the census-estimated population was 2,312,717, and in 2018 it was 2,325,502. [197] Forty foreign governments maintain trade and commercial offices here with 23 active foreign chambers of commerce and trade associations. Houston is considered to be a politically divided city whose balance of power often sways between Republicans and Democrats. Landlocked farmers brought their produce to Houston, using Buffalo Bayou to gain access to Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico. The 2020 U.S. census determined Houston had a population of 2,304,580. WebUnemployed (2013): 5.4%; Per capita personal income 2013: $27,989. [171], Houston has a large and diverse Muslim community; it is the largest in Texas and the Southern United States, as of 2012. Harris County. WebAmong the nations 50 most populous metros, Houston has the eighth largest Black community. 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. [152], Before the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States the Marriage of Billie Ert and Antonio Molina, considered the first same-sex marriage in Texas history, took place on October 5, 1972. [105][108], Houston has excessive ozone levels and is routinely ranked among the most ozone-polluted cities in the United States. [198] Twenty-five foreign banks representing 13 nations operate in Houston, providing financial assistance to the international community. [204] In 2010, the city was rated the best city for shopping, according to Forbes. State Rep. Nate Schatzline gives a speech on the opening day of the 2023 legislative session at the Texas Capitol in Austin. QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. [327] The light rail system saw approximately 16.8 million boardings in fiscal year 2016. [270], Murders fell by 37 percent from January to June 2011, compared with the same period in 2010. Sizable numbers, however, came through the domestic slave trade. [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. [11], The great majority of enslaved people in Texas came with their owners from the older slave states. Based on highest architectural feature, it is the 21st-tallest in the United States. In Houston 58.27% of the population is White. Located in Southeast Texas, this city houses a large population of more than 2 million, making it the most populous in the state and one of the most in the country. Houston city, Texas. [288] Founded in 1912, Rice's historic, heavily wooded 300-acre (120-hectare) campus, adjacent to Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center, hosts approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 3,000 post-graduate students. [208], Located in the American South, Houston is a diverse city with a large and growing international community. [212] Another large celebration is the annual night-time Houston Gay Pride Parade, held at the end of June. NRG Stadium opened the same year. Paul Broussard was murdered in Montrose in 1991. [184] Petroleum products, chemicals, and oil and gas extraction equipment accounted for roughly two-thirds of the metropolitan area's exports last year. Clear 2 Table Map Chart Dashboard More Table About datasets used in this table Value Notes The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball expansion team formed in 1962 (known as the "Colt .45s" until 1965) that have won the World Series in 2017 and 2022 and appeared in it in 2005, 2019, and 2021. Houston's climate is classified as humid subtropical (Cfa in the Kppen climate classification system), typical of the Southern United States. [180][181] The city has also been a growing hub for technology startup firms. 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. Friday, March 3, 2023 4:12PM. [49] In August 2005, Houston became a shelter to more than 150,000 people from New Orleans, who evacuated from Hurricane Katrina. Had these floodplain development rules had been in place all along, it is estimated that 84% of homes in the 100-year and 500-year floodplains would have been spared damage. Employing more than 73,600 people, institutions at the medical center include 13 hospitals and two specialty institutions, two medical schools, four nursing schools, and schools of dentistry, public health, pharmacy, and virtually all health-related careers. Houston's total crime rate including violent and nonviolent crimes decreased by 11 percent. [206][207], In 2013, Houston was identified as the number one U.S. city for job creation by the U.S. Bureau of Statistics after it was not only the first major city to regain all the jobs lost in the preceding economic downturn, but also after the crash, more than two jobs were added for every one lost. [209] The Greater Houston metropolitan area is home to an estimated 1.1million (21.4 percent) residents who were born outside the United States, with nearly two-thirds of the area's foreign-born population from south of the United StatesMexico border since 2009. Chernobyl dogs live in a variety of habitats throughout the nuclear exclusion zone including forested areas around Pripyat and [200] The city ranked fourth for highest increase in the local technological innovation over the preceding 15 years, according to Forbes magazine. About 20% of Houston-area residents claimed no religious affiliation, compared to about 23% nationwide. [318], The eight-county Greater Houston metropolitan area contains over 25,000 miles (40,000km) of roadway, of which 10%, or approximately 2,500 miles (4,000km), is limited-access highway. [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. [267], Houston had 303 homicides in 2015 and 302 homicides in 2016. After the war, Houston's economy reverted to being primarily port-driven. Two of these airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, offer commercial aviation service to a variety of domestic and international destinations and served 55 million passengers in 2016. These degree-holders tend to stay in Houston. The city issued 42,697 building permits in 2008 and was ranked first in the list of healthiest housing markets for 2009. [330] A daily Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach connects Houston with Amtrak's ChicagoSan Antonio Texas Eagle at Longview. [344] United Airlines' share of the Houston Airport System's commercial aviation market was nearly 60% in 2017 with 16 million enplaned passengers. [96][97] The record highest temperature recorded in Houston is 109F (43C) at Bush Intercontinental Airport, during September 4, 2000, and again on August 27, 2011. An official website of the United States government. [159] The largest synagogues are Congregation Beth Yeshurun, a Conservative Jewish temple, and the Reform Jewish congregations Beth Israel and Emanu-El. 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. In 2015, 8.3 percent of Houston households lacked a car, which was virtually unchanged in 2016 (8.1 percent). It is also the county seat of Harris County. Houston merchants profited from selling staples to farmers and shipping the farmers' produce to Galveston. [323], METRO's local bus network services approximately 275,000 riders daily with a fleet of over 1,200 buses. Based on the latest 2022 data from the US census, the current population of Houston is 2,288,250. During the late 1970s, Houston had a population boom as people from the Rust Belt states moved to Texas in large numbers. [242] The city also has over 200 additional green spacestotaling over 19,600 acres (79km2) that are managed by the cityincluding the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. There were 987,158 housing units in 2019 and 876,504 households. [32] In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt approved a $1 million improvement project for the Houston Ship Channel. Official records for Houston were kept at the Weather Bureau in downtown from July 1888 to May 1969, and at Intercontinental since June 1969. The arrival of the 20th century brought a convergence of economic factors that fueled rapid growth in Houston, including a burgeoning port and railroad industry, the decline of Galveston as Texas's primary port following a devastating 1900 hurricane, the subsequent construction of the Houston Ship Channel, and the Texas oil boom. [182] Major technology and software companies within Greater Houston include Crown Castle, KBR, Cybersoft, Houston Wire & Cable, and HostGator. [37] The Brown Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1942 to build ships for the U.S. Navy during World War II. 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. Houston is also one of the first cities in the world to have a major esports team represent it, in the form of the Houston Outlaws. [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. [108] The majority of rainfall occurs between April and October (the wet season of Southeast Texas), when the moisture from the Gulf of Mexico evaporates extensively over the city. With so many people, Houston is full of rich history, economic [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. [277] HISD has over 100 campuses that serve as magnet or vanguard schoolsspecializing in such disciplines as health professions, visual and performing arts, and the sciences. [260] At-large council members represent the entire city. Houston has become known as a Black Mecca akin to Atlanta because it is a popular living destination for Black professionals and entrepreneurs. [341] In 2006, the United States Department of Transportation named IAH the fastest-growing of the top ten airports in the United States. [258] Under the city charter, once the population in the city limits exceeded 2.1 million residents, two additional districts were to be added.