City safety & data profile

HoustonTX

Houston, TX is a 2.3M-resident city in Harris County with a median household income of $64,813.

Harris County, Texas. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Houston, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Houston has a population larger than 99% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $277,800, and 28 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

2.3M
Population
Top 1%
By size
$64,813
Median income
$277,800
Median home
19.9%
Poverty rate

The read on Houston

Houston posts a median household income higher than 29% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 28 hospitals serve the Houston area.

Top 71%
by median income, US cities
28
hospitals in & near Houston

Where Houston income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$64,813 Bottom 29% higher than 29% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. TX $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Houston, TX beyond the headline numbers

Houston sits inside Harris County, Texas, at roughly 29.76°N, -95.36°W. Population 2,314,157, $64,813 median household income. Median home value $277,800, median rent $1,361. Poverty rate 19.9%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Houston's highest-prevalence health measure is short sleep duration at 40.8%, then obesity at 38%. 28 hospitals in/around Houston, 3.7/5 avg rating, 10 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Houston from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
2,314,157
Houston
Median Income
$64,813
-5% vs avg
Median Home Value
$277,800
+22% vs avg
Median Age
34.4
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Harris County) - Houston's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
4.8M+16%
Median Income
$74,983+41%
Median Home Value
$276,600+111%
Poverty Rate
16.3%-12%
Unemployment
6.7%-22%

Economics

Economics indicators for Houston, TX
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,361/mo
Poverty Rate
19.9% +40% vs avg
Unemployment 6.9%
Bachelor's Degree+ 36.6%
Work From Home 13%
Public Transit 3.2%

Population

White 30.4%
African American 22.7%
Asian 6.9%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Short Sleep Duration
40.8%
Obesity
38%
High Blood Pressure
33.1%
Physical Inactivity
28.8%
Lack of Health Insurance
24%
Frequent Mental Distress
17.1%
Binge Drinking
16.7%
Diabetes
13.9%
Frequent Physical Distress
13.6%
Current Smoking
13.6%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 50.2%
Annual Checkup 72.7%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
9.4%
Coronary Heart Disease
5.6%
Stroke
3.5%

Hospitals 28 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
4
★★★★
6
★★★
0
★★
0
0
Average Rating
3.7/5
Total Hospitals
28
With ER
10
HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★★
HOUSTON VA MEDICAL CENTER
HOUSTON · Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER
★★★★★
HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★★
HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★★
MEMORIAL HERMANN - TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
Baylor St Lukes Medical Center
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
MEMORIAL HERMANN MEMORIAL CITY HOSPITAL
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE MEDICAL CENTER
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
WOMANS HOSPITAL OF TEXAS,THE
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
ST LUKE'S HOSPITAL AT THE VINTAGE
HOUSTON · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Houston, TX?
Houston, TX has a population of 2,314,157 people, located in Harris County, Texas.
What is the median household income in Houston?
The median household income in Houston, TX is $64,813 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 19.9%.
What is the median home value in Houston?
The median home value in Houston, TX is $277,800. Median rent is $1,361/month.
What are the top health concerns in Houston?
The top health indicators in Houston include Short Sleep Duration (40.8%), Obesity (38%), High Blood Pressure (33.1%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Houston?
Houston has 28 hospitals with an average rating of 3.7/5 stars. 10 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Houston?
The median age in Houston, TX is 34.4 years. 36.6% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Houston, TX is located in Harris County, Texas. With a population of 2.3M and a $64,813 median household income, the community faces health challenges including short sleep duration and obesity. Residents have access to 28 hospitals with an average rating of 3.7/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Houston area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Houston's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Houston area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Houston against Texas peers on any ranking lens. Explore Texas

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Harris County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.