Houston, Texas

Houston: The fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Houston metropolitan area.

About

Houston is a city located in the county of Harris in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population at the 2010 census was 2,099,451 and a population density of 1,217 people per km². After 10 years in 2020 city had an estimated population of 2,316,120 inhabitants.

The city was created 189 years ago in 1836.

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States with over 2.3 million residents as of July 29, 2023. Here are some key facts about Houston:

History

Houston was founded in 1836 and named after General Sam Houston. It initially grew as a railroad hub and later became a center for the oil, aeronautics, and space industries.

Location & Geography

Houston is located in southeast Texas along the Gulf of Mexico. The city lies on a coastal plain with a series of bayous running through it like Buffalo Bayou.

Economy

Major industries in Houston include energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and healthcare. The Texas Medical Center is the world's largest medical complex.

Population & Diversity

The Houston metro area has high ethnic diversity with a large Hispanic/Latino population. Over 90 languages are spoken in the Houston area.

Culture & Sports

Houston has many performance halls and art galleries such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Major sports teams include the Houston Astros baseball team and the Houston Texans football team.

In summary, Houston is a massive and multicultural hub known for its energy sector, diverse communities, aerospace history, and sprawling cowboy culture. It represents the essence of Texas.

Houston locator map
Location of Houston on Texas map.

Quick Facts about Houston

Population 2,316,120 (2020)
Country United States of America
State Texas (United States)
County Harris County
Instagram username houstoncity
Twitter username HoustonTX
Postal code 77200–77299, 77000–77099
Phone Area Codes 713, 281, 832
Area 1724.54 km2
Latitude & Longitude 29.7633,-95.3633
Legislative body Houston City Council
Named for Sam Houston
Altitude 43 feet / 13 meters
Capital city Houston is capital of Harris County
Establishment August 01, 1836 (189 years ago)
Time Zone UTC−06:00, UTC−05:00, Central Time Zone
Local time 12:50:12 (22nd April 2026)
Density 1,343 Pop. per km² as of 2020
Population growth 9.35% (2010-2020)
Weather 78℉ Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms 7-days weather
Houston montage image
Houston montage image

Geography

Houston is located at 29°45'48"N 95°21'48"W (29.7632800, -95.3632700).

Houston map

Click "full screen" full screen map icon to open full mode. View satellite images

Weather

78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms
5 to 10 mph SE Wednesday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

7-Day Forecast
  • Aberdeen
  • Abu Dhabi (2002 )
  • Baku (1976 )
  • Cairo
  • Chiba
  • City of Perth
  • Guayaquil
  • Huelva
  • Irapuato
  • Istanbul
  • Karachi
  • Leipzig (1993 )
  • Luanda
  • Mexico City
  • Shenzhen
  • Stavanger
  • Taipei (1961 )
  • Tampico
  • Tyumen

Demographics

The population of Houston increased by 9.35% in 10 years.

Year Population % Change Method
2010 2,099,451 - census
2011 2,126,032 1.25% estimation process
2012 2,161,593 1.65% estimation process
2013 2,199,391 1.72% estimation process
2014 2,241,826 1.89% estimation process
2015 2,286,908 1.97% estimation process
2016 2,309,544 0.98% estimation process
2017 2,316,750 0.31% estimation process
2018 2,318,573 0.08% estimation process
2019 2,320,268 0.07% estimation process
2020 2,316,120 -0.18% estimation process
Map of countries with a smaller population than Houston
Houston zip code is 77002. County name: Harris, County fips: 48201
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Best Things to Do in Houston

1Hermann Square

Rating: 4.5 (604)

900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +17138370311 | Website available

Services and Civic Places in Houston

1Houston City Hall

Rating: 4.3 (103)

901 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +17138370311 | Website available

2Houston Police Department Westside

Rating: 2.8 (75)

3203 S Dairy Ashford Rd, Houston, TX 77082 View details

Phone: +18323945600 | Website available

3Spring Valley Village City Hall

Rating: 3.3 (19)

1025 Campbell Rd, Houston, TX 77055 View details

Phone: +17134658308 | Website available

4Houston Mayor's Office

Rating: 2 (19)

901 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +17138370311 | Website available

5Nassau Bay City Hall

Rating: 4.5 (13)

1800 Space Park Dr #200, Houston, TX 77058 View details

Phone: +12813334211 | Website available

6Houston City Hall Annex

Rating: 3.2 (11)

900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +17138370311 | Website available

7Jacinto City Water Department/ City Hall

Rating: 3 (8)

1301 Mercury Dr, Houston, TX 77029 View details

Phone: +17136748424 | Website available

8Hedwig Village City Hall

Rating: 3.9 (7)

955 Piney Point Rd, Houston, TX 77024 View details

Phone: +17134656009 | Website available

9Houston City Council

Rating: 1 (3)

900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +18323930786

10Mayor Citizens Assistance

Rating: 2.7 (3)

900 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002 View details

Phone: +17136979221

People born in Houston (200)

People born in Houston, including actor Tony Oller, entrepreneur Matt Mullenweg, actress and singer Hilary Duff, .

More notable people

  • Sarah Morrow (American musician) she was born in 14/11/1969
  • John Gray (American family therapist, lecturer, and author) he was born in 28/12/1951
  • Nathan Eovaldi (American baseball player) he was born in 13/02/1990
  • Z-Ro (American rapper) he was born in 19/01/1977
  • Tony Campise (American musician) he was born in 22/01/1943
  • Tyra Ferrell (American actress) she was born in 28/01/1962
  • Zak Whitbread (soccer player) he was born in 04/03/1984
  • Robert Wilson (American astronomer) he was born in 10/01/1936
  • Jennifer Garner (American actress) she was born in 17/04/1972
  • A. J. Foyt (American racecar driver) he was born in 16/01/1935
  • Brett Cullen (American actor) he was born in 26/08/1956
  • Anna Nicole Smith (American model, actress, and television personality (1967-2007)) she was born in 28/11/1967
  • Howard Hughes (American aviator, engineer, industrialist, and film producer) he was born in 24/12/1905
  • Alexis Bledel (American actress) she was born in 16/09/1981
  • Lexi Randall (American actress) she was born in 01/01/1980
  • Dennis Quaid (American actor) he was born in 09/04/1954
  • Jay Brannan (American singer-songwriter and actor) he was born in 29/03/1982
  • Reggie Johnson (American boxer) he was born in 28/08/1966

Nearby Schools and Colleges

Schools and campuses linked to Houston, TX. Select a name to open its map and contact details.

Code Name City ZIP
225432 University of Houston-Downtown Houston (TX) 77002-1014
228194 South Texas College of Law Houston Houston (TX) 77002
225423 Houston Community College Houston (TX) 77002
227863 University of St Thomas Houston (TX) 77006-4696
225511 University of Houston Houston (TX) 77204-2018

Nearby Transit Stations (4)

Rail and bus stations connected to Houston, TX. Select a station to open its map and address details.

Code Name Address Type
HOS Houston 902 Washington Ave. RAIL
HOG Houston, TX 2121 Main Street BUS
PVW Prairie View, TX 44814 US Highway 290 Business \r\n BUS
GLS Galveston (Texas Eagle Bus), Texas 25th St. and Strand St. BUS

Closest post offices linked to Houston.

Post Office Name City ZIP
Civic Center Post Office Houston (TX) 77002
Two Houston Center Post Office Houston (TX) 77010
Houston Post Office Houston (TX) 77002
Sam Houston Post Office Houston (TX) 77002
Houston Post Office Houston (TX) 77002

Other places with the same name (8)

  • Houston, Mississippi town in Mississippi with a population of 3,375 people.
  • Houston, Alaska city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States with a population of 2,462 people.
  • Houston, Missouri city in Missouri, United States with a population of 2,085 people.
  • Houston, Pennsylvania borough in Pennsylvania, United States with a population of 1,233 people.
  • Houston, Delaware town in Delaware with a population of 409 people.
  • Houston, Minnesota city in Minnesota, United States with a population of 380 people.
  • Houston, Illinois unincorporated community in Illinois, United States with a population of 209 people.
  • Houston, Arkansas town in Perry County, Arkansas, United States with a population of 171 people.

Other cities in Harris County

Cities, towns, neighborhoods & other populated places in Harris County , TX. (more)

City Name Population Title
Pasadena 149,440 The second most populous city in Harris County, Texas.
Baytown 77,288 The most populous city in Harris County, Texas.
Atascocita 65,844 Census designated place
Spring 54,298 Census-designated place in Harris County, Texas, United States
Channelview 38,289 Census designated place
La Porte 35,775 City in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States of America
Deer Park 32,913 City in Harris County, Texas, United States
Katy 23,889 City in Texas, United States; within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area
Cloverleaf 22,942 Census designated place
Bellaire 18,906 Village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States
Brownwood 18,208 City in Texas, United States of America
South Houston 17,446 City in Harris County, Texas, United States
Aldine 15,869 Census designated place
Humble 15,539 City in Texas
West University Place 15,496 City in Harris County, Texas, U.
Seabrook 13,879 City in Texas, United States

Distance to Other Cities

Houston distances to largest Texas cities