Houston vs Spring
Houston, Texas versus Spring, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Houston edges out Spring on overall objective livability (44 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Houston | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $84k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $48k |
| Home Value | $235k | $198k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.60% | 1.89% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.93% | 7.17% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 54°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.5 in | 51.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 192 days | 192 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 109 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 65.3 | 73.9 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.6 | 39.3 |
| Violent Crime | 3120/100k | 2387/100k |
| Property Crime | 4611/100k | 3602/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 | 63,930 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 23.6% | 32.9% |
| Black (%) | 22.0% | 21.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 44.8% | 40.1% |
| Asian (%) | 6.8% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 6.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 13 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.3% | 92.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.04 | 19.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Houston or Spring more affordable?
- Spring has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Houston's $48k and Spring's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Houston versus $2k in Spring.
- Is Houston or Spring safer?
- Spring has the lower violent crime rate. Houston reports 3120/100k and Spring reports 2387/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Houston or Spring?
- The median home value is $235k in Houston and $198k in Spring, so homes are more affordable in Spring.