Houston

Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the sixth-most populous in North America. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the seat and largest city of Harris County. Houston is the southeast anchor of the greater megaregion known as the Texas Triangle. The city was founded by land investors on August 30, 1836, at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou (a point now known as Allen's Landing) and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837. Houston has the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters of any U.S. municipality within its city limits (after New York City). The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnages handled. Houston's economy has had a broad industrial base, in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and transportation. It is home to the Texas Medical Centerthe world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutionsand NASA's Johnson Space Center. It has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. The museum district attracts more than seven million visitors a year to the Museum District, home to nineteen museums, galleries, and community spaces. The Houston area occupying land that was home of the Karankawa (k rangk wä,-wô,-w) and the Atakapa (tkp) indigenous peoples for at least 2,000 years before the first known settlers arrived.

History

Houston is the primary city name, but also Clutch City are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is City of Houston. Houston was founded by the Allen brothers in the 1830s. The city became a commercial and railroad hub for the export of cotton. Thousands of enslaved black people lived near the city before the American Civil War. The discovery of oil at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont prompted the development of the Texas petroleum industry. By 1910, the city's population had reached 78,800, almost doubling from a decade before. In 1940, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Houston's population as 77.5% White and 22.4% Black. During World War II, World War I, and the Second World War, Houston was the most populous city in Texas. Houston is home to the Houston Ship Channel, which was built in the early 20th century. The Port of Houston was opened in 1930, seven years after the Port of Port of Galveston was opened. The port is now one of the busiest ports in the world, serving the Gulf of Mexico and the United States Gulf Coast. It is also the largest port on the Texas coast, with a population of more than 100,000. The Houston Ship channel was built because of the demand for synthetic rubber and petroleum products during the war. It was initially built during World War One, but was suspended during the War II to provide economic benefits for the defense industry. It has since been expanded to accommodate the needs of the oil industry and other industries. It also serves as a major port for the Texas Gulf Coast and the Texas-Louisiana border.

Geography

Houston is 165 miles (266 km) east of Austin, 88 miles (142 km) west of the Louisiana border, and 250 miles (400 km) south of Dallas. The city has a total area of 637.4 square miles (1,651 km²) Most of Houston is on the gulf coastal plain, and its vegetation is classified as Western Gulf coastal grasslands. Further north, it transitions into a subtropical jungle, the Big Thicket. The Houston area has over 150 active faults (estimated to be 300 active faults) with an aggregate length of up to 310 miles (500 km), including the Long PointEureka Heights fault system. 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. Houston is a flat, marshy area where an extensive drainage system has been built. The adjoining prairie land drains into the city, which is prone to flooding. The region's geology developed from river deposits formed from the erosion of the Rocky Mountains. The thick, rich, sometimes black, surface soil is suitable for rice farming in suburban outskirts where the city continues to grow. Approximately 470,000 people lived within the Interstate 610 loop, with a radius of approximately 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown. Outside the loop, the city's typology is more suburban, though many major business district are Uptown, Westchase and Energy Corridor.

Demographics

The 2020 U.S. census determined Houston had a population of 2,304,280. In 2017, the census-estimated population was 2,312,717. An estimated 600,000 undocumented immigrants resided in the Houston area in 2017, comprising nearly 9% of the city's metropolitan population. In 2018, non-Hispanic whites made up 20.7% of Houston's population, Hispanics or Latino Americans 44.9%, Blacks or African Americans 30.3%, and Asian Americans 8.2%. The largest Hispanic or Latino American ethnic groups in the city were Mexican Americans (31.6%), Puerto Ricans (0.8%), and Cuban Americans (0.8%) in 2018. 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. The median age was 33.1, up from 32.9 in 2017 and down from 33.5 in 2014. The city's diversity, historically fueled by large waves of Hispanic and Latino American, and Asian immigrants, has been attributed to its relatively low cost of living, strong job market, and role as a hub for refugee resettlement. Greater Houston is the most ethnically diverse metropolitan area in the United States, ahead of New York City. Houston has become known as a Black Mecca akin to Atlanta because it is a popular living destination for Black professionals and entrepreneurs. The Houston area is home to the largest African American community west of the Mississippi River.

Economy

Houston is recognized worldwide for its energy industryparticularly for oil and natural gasas well as for biomedical research and aeronautics. Renewable energy sourceswind and solarare also growing economic bases in the city. The city has also been a growing hub for technology startup firms. The Houston area is the top U.S. market for exports, surpassing New York City in 2013. On April 4, 2022, Hewlett Packard Enterprise relocated its global headquarters from California to the Greater Houston area. The University of Houston System's annual impact on the Houston area's economy equates to that of a major corporation. Houston is the beginning or end point of numerous oil, gas, and products pipelines. The Port of Houston ranks first in international commerce and 16th among the largest ports in the world. Ninety-one foreign governments have established consular offices in Houston's metropolitan area, the third-highest in the nation. Forty foreign governments maintain trade and commercial offices here with 23 active foreign chambers of commerce and trade associations. Twenty-five foreign banks representing 13 nations operate in Houston, providing financial assistance to the international community. In 2012, the city was rated the best city for the paycheck by Forbes and in 2013, Houston was identified as America's top city for employment creation by the US Bureau of Statistics. Houston was the first major city to regain all jobs lost in the economic downturn after the crash, but also after the preceding economic downturn, more than two jobs were added for every one lost.

Culture

Houston is a diverse city with a large and growing international community. The city is home to the nation's third-largest concentration of consular offices, representing 92 countries. Houston received the official nickname of "Space City" in 1967 because it is the location of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Houston is the birthplace of the chopped and screwed remixing-technique in Hip-hop which was pioneered by DJ Screw from the city. Several major publications have consistently named Houston one of "America's Best Food Cities" The Theater District, in Downtown Houston, is the second- largest concentration of theater seats in a Downtown area in the United States. The National Museum of Funeral History is in Houston near the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The Museum of Fine Arts houses one of America's most prominent collections of decorative art, paintings, and furniture. Bayou Bend is the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg. The Bayou Place entertainment complex is a 17-block area of Downtown Houston that is full of live-service restaurants, bars, live music, cinemas, and Sundiards. The Galleria's shopping mall is the largest mall in the U.S., containing the largest shopping mall in Texas. The Houston Symphony Orchestra 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).

Sports

Houston has sports teams for every major professional league except the National Hockey League. The Houston Rockets are a National Basketball Association franchise based in the city since 1971. Houston has the NFL's first retractable-roof stadium with natural grass, NRG Stadium (home of the Texans) The Houston Dynamo is a Major League Soccer franchise that has been based in Houston since 2006, winning two MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. Houston is also one of eight cities to have an XFL team, the Houston Roughnecks. The city has hosted several major sports events, including Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl XXXVIII, and Super Bowl LI. The Grand Prix of Houston, an annual auto race on the IndyCar Series circuit was held on a 1.7-mile temporary street circuit in NRG Park in October 2013. In motorcycling, the Astrodome hosted an AMA Supercross Championship round from 1974 to 2003 and theNRG Stadium since 2003. Houston hosts the annual Houston College Classic baseball tournament every February, and the Texas Kickoff and Bowl in September and December, respectively. The Outlaws play in the Overwatch League and are one of two Texan teams, the other being the Dallas Fuel. Houston will host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is one of the first cities in the world to have a major esports team represent it, in the form of the Houston Outlaws. It has hosted the 1968, 1986 and 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Games, as well as hosting the 1981, 1986, 1994 and 1995 NBA Finals.

Government

Houston is a home rule city and all municipal elections in Texas are nonpartisan. The current mayor of Houston is Sylvester Turner, a Democrat elected on a nonpartisan ballot. The city controller is elected independently of the mayor and council. Houston is considered to be a politically divided city whose balance of power often sways between Republicans and Democrats. In 2009, Houston became the first U.S. city with a population over 1 million citizens to elect a gay mayor, by electing Annise Parker. Houston had 303 homicides in 2015 and 302 homicides in 2016. 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. Houston has seen a four-year uptick in its murder rate, though it had seen a higher murder rate in the past. Houston's violent crime rate was 8.6% higher than that in that period through 2015. However, violent crime was still down 12 percent in Houston from 2006 to 2016, due to its size and proximity to major illegal exporting nations. Texas has banned sanctuary cities, but Houston Mayor Sylvesters Turner said Houston will not assist ICE agents with immigration raids. Houston was the site of the mass murders in the early 1970s, which were the deadliest case of serial killing in American history in 1853. The first execution in Houston took place in public at the Fourth Ward's Fourth Ward Cemetery, which was the first public cemetery in the United States.

Education

Nineteen school districts exist within the city of Houston. The Houston area encompasses more than 300 private schools, many of which are accredited by Texas Private School Accreditation Commission recognized agencies. The Greater Houston area's Catholic schools are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Houston has four state universities and three community college districts. The University of Houston is the third-largest university in Texas. The Texas Medical Center is home to a high density of health professions schools, including two medical schools: McGovern Medical School and Baylor College of Medicine. Texas Southern University is the first state university in Houston, founded in 1927. Houston Community College and Lone Star College systems are among the 10 largest institutions of higher learning in the United States. Houston Christian University is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and offers bachelor's and graduate degrees at its Sharpstown campus. The city also hosts a number of graduate schools in law and healthcare, including a medical school and a college of optometry. The City of Houston has a population of more than 1.2 million people, making it one of the largest U.S. cities in terms of number of people living in the Houston metropolitan area. It is also the second-largest city in Texas, after Dallas. It also has the highest percentage of people of color in the country, with more than 10% of the population of the Houston area being black or African-American. It has the fourth-highest percentage of women in the nation, with about 1.7 million people.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Houston, Fort Bend County, Texas = 15.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 37. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 11. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Houston = 6.1 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 2,304,580 individuals with a median age of 33 age the population grows by 14.44% in Houston, Fort Bend County, Texas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,598.43 residents per square mile of area (1,389.36/km²). There are average 2.72 people per household in the 808,317 households with an average household income of $43,510 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is of the available work force and has dropped -2.52% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 26.96%. The number of physicians in Houston per 100,000 population = 213.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Houston = 51.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 80. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 204. 93 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 45.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 24, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Houston, Fort Bend County, Texas which are owned by the occupant = 40.16%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 32 years with median home cost = $156,120 and home appreciation of -4.61%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $20.09 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,568 per student. There are 15.8 students for each teacher in the school, 806 students for each Librarian and 552 students for each Counselor. 3.97% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 17.43% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 9.71% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).