Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States and the largest in Texas. The city also has a global economy and only New York City has more Fortune 500 headquarters. The 2010 Census showed that Houston was home to almost 2.1 million people within 599 square miles, although this number since increased. The estimated population for 2016 is 2.2 million.
Houston is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and its population is estimated to be 2.33 million.
Houston's population density is estimated to be 3,662 people per square mile (1,414 per square kilometer.) Houston is also the economic center of Houston-The Woodlands-Sugarland, which is the 5th largest metropolitan area in the United States with over 6 million people. 2012 was the first time Philadelphia was knocked out of the top 5, thanks to Houston's rapid growth.
Houston is a very multicultural city, partially due to its academic institutions, industry, and status as a port city. Houston residents speak more than 90 languages,, and it also has one of the youngest populations in the country due to the influx of immigrants in the state. It's estimated that there are 400,000 illegal aliensliving in the Houston area alone.
The non-Hispanic white population in Houston had halved since 1970 when it accounted for 62% of the population. It also seems the racial and ethnic diversity increases the further away from the center of the city you move to.
Houston's Hispanic population is increasing rapidly as more Latin American immigrants move to the area to work. Houston now has the 3rd largest Hispanic population in the United States.
There is also a significant African American population in Houston, which has been the case for most of its history. From 1870 to 1890, black people accounted for nearly 40% of the city's population, although this ranged from 21 to 33% from 1910 to 1970.
There is also a relatively large population of refugees living in the city since the 1970s. Nearly 1,600 refugees arrive at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport every year from all over the world.
In 1836, two real estate entrepreneurs from New York purchased a large area of land along Buffalo Bayou to found a city. The city name chosen was Sam Houston, after the general at the Battle of San Jacinto, who was elected as the president of Texas that year.
Houston was incorporated in 1837 and became the temporary capital of the Republic of Texas. By 1860, it was a major hub for exporting cotton, and its system of bayous was extended after the Civil War to allow the city to accept more commerce.
In 1901, oil was discovered nearby, which started the development of the still massive Texas petroleum industry. By 1910, Houston was home to 78,000 people, double its population just ten years before. By the 1950s, its economy shifted toward energy has large companies began relocating to Houston.
Since the recession of the 1990s, Houston has worked to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on petroleum.
Houston's booming population growth has made it one of the fastest growing regions in the United States. From 2011 to 2012, Houston gained more than 34,000 people, which was the second largest numeric increase for a city in the country.
In 2013, the Houston Chronicle reported its growth shows no signs of slowing. People are still moving to the area for its plentiful jobs, education, and housing, and many job sectors are growing.
By 2020, Houston's population is expected to grow from today's 2.162 million to 2.52 million. By 2030, the city will have 2.8 million residents, which means it should overtake Brooklyn.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Houston was:
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
2018 | 2,325,502 | 8,057 | 0.35% |
2017 | 2,317,445 | 7,693 | 0.33% |
2016 | 2,309,752 | 23,122 | 1.01% |
2015 | 2,286,630 | 45,648 | 2.04% |
2014 | 2,240,982 | 42,702 | 1.94% |
2013 | 2,198,280 | 38,194 | 1.77% |
2012 | 2,160,086 | 35,943 | 1.69% |
2011 | 2,124,143 | 25,697 | 1.22% |
2010 | 2,098,446 | 144,815 | 0.72% |
2000 | 1,953,631 | 323,078 | 1.82% |
1990 | 1,630,553 | 35,415 | 0.22% |
1980 | 1,595,138 | 361,603 | 2.60% |
1970 | 1,233,535 | 295,316 | 2.77% |
1960 | 938,219 | 342,056 | 4.64% |
1950 | 596,163 | 211,649 | 4.48% |
1940 | 384,514 | 92,162 | 2.78% |
1930 | 292,352 | 154,076 | 7.77% |
1920 | 138,276 | 59,476 | 5.78% |
1910 | 78,800 | 34,167 | 5.85% |
1900 | 44,633 | 17,076 | 4.94% |
1890 | 27,557 | 11,044 | 5.25% |
1880 | 16,513 | 7,131 | 5.82% |
1870 | 9,382 | 4,537 | 6.83% |
1860 | 4,845 | 2,445 | 7.28% |
1850 | 2,400 | 0.00% |
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
2018 | 6,997,384 | 91,689 | 1.31% |
2017 | 6,905,695 | 93,435 | 1.35% |
2016 | 6,812,260 | 135,695 | 1.99% |
2015 | 6,676,565 | 172,947 | 2.59% |
2014 | 6,503,618 | 172,961 | 2.66% |
2013 | 6,330,657 | 145,796 | 2.30% |
2012 | 6,184,861 | 128,495 | 2.08% |
2011 | 6,056,366 | 108,957 | 1.80% |
2010 | 5,947,409 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
White | 1,326,310 | 58.50% |
Black or African American | 518,678 | 22.88% |
Some Other Race | 216,385 | 9.54% |
Asian | 151,370 | 6.68% |
Two or More Races | 45,782 | 2.02% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 7,629 | 0.34% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 1,182 | 0.05% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
All | 838,950 | 2.66 | 43.3 |
Non Family | 328,412 | 1.26 | 31.6 |
Married | 323,785 | 3.51 | 60.8 |
Female | 136,742 | 3.69 | 32.2 |
Male | 50,011 | 3.55 | 36.6 |
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
Less Than 9th Grade | 190,538 | 12.99% |
9th to 12th Grade | 133,994 | 9.13% |
High School Graduate | 333,858 | 22.76% |
Some College | 267,954 | 18.27% |
Associates Degree | 75,090 | 5.12% |
Bachelors Degree | 283,450 | 19.32% |
Graduate Degree | 182,039 | 12.41% |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 95.90%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 58.29%.
$33,521
Average Earnings
$37,111
Average Male
$29,453
Average Female
51.87% of Houston residents speak only English, while 48.13% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 38.48% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
Hispanic | 999,795 | 266,487 | 26.65% |
Black | 507,726 | 132,555 | 26.11% |
Other | 214,755 | 58,833 | 27.40% |
White | 554,142 | 48,918 | 8.83% |
Asian | 148,580 | 21,474 | 14.45% |
Multiple | 45,076 | 9,053 | 20.08% |
Native | 7,616 | 1,879 | 24.67% |
Islander | 1,115 | 268 | 24.04% |
21.15%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.04%
Male Poverty Rate
23.26%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Houston is Other, with 27.40% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Houston is White, with 8.83% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.72%. Among those working part-time, it was 23.83%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.02%.
41.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.2%
Male Marriage Rate
39.9%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
White | 43,772 | 4.41% |
Black | 22,905 | 5.81% |
Hispanic | 11,396 | 1.67% |
Other | 2,115 | 1.39% |
2 or More | 1,331 | 4.68% |
Asian | 1,291 | 1.04% |
Indian | 218 | 3.79% |
Hawaiian | 117 | 12.51% |
11.17%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.59%
Veteran Disability Rate
67.7%
Labor Force Participation
63.2%
Employment Rate
6.6%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
70.79%
Native Born
29.21%
Foreign Born
20.67%
Non Citizen
70.79% of Houston residents were born in the United States, with 51.73% having been born in Texas. 20.67% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.