City safety & data profile

South HoustonTX

South Houston, TX is a 18K-resident city in Harris County with a median household income of $53,497.

Harris County, Texas. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for South Houston, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. South Houston has a population larger than 36% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, and a median home value of $189,300.

Data updated 2026-07-20

18K
Population
Top 64%
By size
$53,497
Median income
$189,300
Median home
26.1%
Poverty rate

The read on South Houston

South Houston posts a median household income higher than 13% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks.

Top 87%
by median income, US cities

Where South Houston income ranks nationally

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

$53,497 Bottom 13% higher than 13% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $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 South Houston, TX beyond the headline numbers

South Houston sits inside Harris County, Texas, at roughly 29.66°N, -95.24°W. Population 17,544, $53,497 median household income. Median home value $189,300, median rent $1,212. Poverty rate 26.1%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: South Houston's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 41.5%, then short sleep duration at 41%.

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

Population
17,544
South Houston
Median Income
$53,497
-21% vs avg
Median Home Value
$189,300
-17% vs avg
Median Age
31.2
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Harris County) - South 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 South Houston, TX
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,212/mo
Poverty Rate
26.1% +84% vs avg
Unemployment 8.3%
Bachelor's Degree+ 10.3%
Work From Home 2.4%
Public Transit 0%

Population

White 17.4%
African American 3.1%
Asian 0.9%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
41.5%
Short Sleep Duration
41%
Lack of Health Insurance
39.8%
Physical Inactivity
37.7%
High Blood Pressure
33%
Frequent Mental Distress
17.8%
Diabetes
17%
Frequent Physical Distress
17%
Binge Drinking
16.3%
Current Smoking
14.9%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 41.6%
Annual Checkup 69.6%

Other Measures

Current Asthma
8.7%
Coronary Heart Disease
6.5%
Stroke
3.7%

Frequently Asked Questions 5

What is the population of South Houston, TX? ▼
South Houston, TX has a population of 17,544 people, located in Harris County, Texas.
What is the median household income in South Houston? ▼
The median household income in South Houston, TX is $53,497 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 26.1%.
What is the median home value in South Houston? ▼
The median home value in South Houston, TX is $189,300. Median rent is $1,212/month.
What are the top health concerns in South Houston? ▼
The top health indicators in South Houston include Obesity (41.5%), Short Sleep Duration (41%), Lack of Health Insurance (39.8%). Data from CDC PLACES.
What is the median age in South Houston? ▼
The median age in South Houston, TX is 31.2 years. 10.3% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

South Houston, TX is located in Harris County, Texas. With a population of 18K and a $53,497 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and short sleep duration. Safety alerts for the South Houston area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Texas

Real-time AQI for every monitored Texas location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

Pasadena, TX 154K Galena Park, TX 11K Jacinto City, TX 11K Pearland, TX 109K Deer Park, TX 34K Cloverleaf, TX 23K Friendswood, TX 39K Houston, TX 2.3M
All cities in Texas → Compare South Houston vs Pasadena → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using South 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 South 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 South 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.