Houston, Texas
Among the top 9% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 64% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 9% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 91% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 17% of US places
- top 3% for walkability
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Houston is a major city in Texas with about 2,296,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include walkability, annual snowfall, and airport distance. It rates lower on property crime and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Houston is $235k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Houston is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Houston is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Houston has a violent crime rate of 3120/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Houston is 27 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Mild winters · Wet
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comfortable
65%41%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in3.8 in
oppressive 95%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 41% of US places
Home Value$235k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 25% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$377kbetter than 0% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.60%better than 21% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax8.20%better than 36% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.93%better than 64% of US places
Unemployment6.6%better than 28% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)54°F93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)85°F96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation54.5 in89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days192 daysbetter than 17% of US places
Summer Humidity73°Fbetter than 4% of US places
Comfortable Days119 daysbetter than 93% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk65.3better than 51% of US places
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 60% of US places
School Quality47.6better than 31% of US places
Violent Crime3120/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Property Crime4611/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population2,296,253100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.918th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.74100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1318th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)23.6%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)22.0%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)44.8%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.8%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 40% of US places
Walkability13.9/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance13 mibetter than 94% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.3%better than 54% of US places
Amenities Nearby2.04better than 12% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 27% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Houston an affordable place to live?
- Houston is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 41% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Houston safe?
- Houston is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3120/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 4611/100k.
- What is the weather like in Houston?
- Houston averages 85°F in July and 54°F in January, with 54.5 in of annual precipitation and about 192 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Houston?
- Public-school quality in Houston is below average, scoring better than 31% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Houston?
- The average one-way commute in Houston is 27 min.