Harris County, Texas
Among the top 11% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 0% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 57% of US counties
- top 2% for airport distance
- top 3% for comfortable days
- bottom 1% for natural disaster risk
Harris County is a county in Texas with about 4,726,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, comfortable days, and walkability. It rates lower on air quality and natural disaster risk.
Official websiteharriscountytx.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Mild winters · Wet
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comfortable
66%42%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.8 in
oppressive 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$71k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 30% of US counties
Home Value$235k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 10% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 9% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.77%better than 6% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax8.20%better than 32% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.59%better than 70% of US counties
Unemployment6.4%better than 22% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)54°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)85°F97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation54.8 in85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 92% of US counties
Sunny Days192 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Summer Humidity73°Fbetter than 6% of US counties
Comfortable Days122 daysbetter than 97% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk99.9better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality64 AQIbetter than 1% of US counties
School Quality47.3better than 33% of US counties
Violent Crime2387/100kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Crime3602/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Community
Population4,726,177100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.7199th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0047th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1311th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)27.6%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)18.5%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)43.9%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.0%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 21% of US counties
Walkability10.8/20better than 95% of US counties
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.8%better than 87% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.29better than 40% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 40% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Harris County an affordable place to live?
- Harris County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 30% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Harris County?
- The median home value in Harris County is $235k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Harris County?
- Median household income in Harris County is $71k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Harris County?
- Median gross rent in Harris County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Harris County safe?
- Harris County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2387/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 3602/100k.
- What is the weather like in Harris County?
- Harris County averages 85°F in July and 54°F in January, with 54.8 in of annual precipitation and about 192 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Harris County?
- Public-school quality in Harris County is below average, scoring better than 33% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Harris County?
- The average one-way commute in Harris County is 29 min.
Other counties in Texas
Explore Texas
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)