[14] The Houston area is the top U.S. market for exports, surpassing New York City in 2013, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. [248] Minute Maid Park is also a retractable-roof stadium. [198] Twenty-five foreign banks representing 13 nations operate in Houston, providing financial assistance to the international community. During the American Civil War, Houston served as a headquarters for Confederate Major General John B. Magruder, who used the city as an organization point for the Battle of Galveston. [218][219][220][221][222] Houston received the official nickname of "Space City" in 1967 because it is the location of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The JPMorgan Chase Tower is the tallest building in Texas and the tallest 5-sided building in the world. The thick, rich, sometimes black, surface soil is suitable for rice farming in suburban outskirts where the city continues to grow.[69][70]. The Grand Prix of Houston, an annual auto race on the IndyCar Series circuit was held on a 1.7-mile temporary street circuit in NRG Park. QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits. The temperature dropped to 7F (14C) at Bush Airport, marking the coldest temperature ever recorded there. 2,288,250. President Roosevelt had established a policy of nondiscrimination for defense contractors, and blacks gained some opportunities, especially in shipbuilding, although not without resistance from whites and increasing social tensions that erupted into occasional violence. Oil & gas have continued to fuel Houston's economic growth, with major oil companies including Phillips 66, ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum, Halliburton, and ExxonMobil having their headquarters in the Houston area. During the late 1970s, Houston had a population boom as people from the Rust Belt states moved to Texas in large numbers. Houston was the headquarters of Continental Airlines until its 2010 merger with United Airlines with headquarters in Chicago; regulatory approval for the merger was granted in October of that year. Texas Southern University, in the Third Ward, is the first public institution of higher education in Houston and the most comprehensive HBCU in Texas. Flooding has been a recurring problem in the Houston area, exacerbated by a lack of zoning laws, which allowed unregulated building of residential homes and other structures in flood-prone areas. NA. [112] Excessive man-made emissions in the Houston area led to a persistent increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide over the city. Houston is also one of the first cities in the world to have a major esports team represent it, in the form of the Houston Outlaws. Two of these airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, offer commercial aviation service to a variety of domestic and international destinations and served 55 million passengers in 2016. Houston additionally is served by the Pacifica Foundation public radio station KPFT. Westpark Tollway and Fort Bend Parkway are operated conjunctly with the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority. About 62percent of Hispanics (of any nationality) in the area are declared or favor Democrats. Houston's climate is classified as humid subtropical (Cfa in the Kppen climate classification system), typical of the Southern United States. A third, 180-mile (290km) loop with a radius of approximately 25 miles (40km), State Highway99 (the Grand Parkway), is currently under construction, with six of eleven segments completed as of 2018[update]. Houston is the most diverse metropolitan area in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major city in the U.S.[16] It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than seven million visitors a year to the Museum District. Houston, Texas is the 4th largest city in the US. Houston's current Chinatown and the Mahatma Gandhi District are two major ethnic enclaves, reflecting Houston's multicultural makeup. [113], Because of Houston's wet season and proximity to the Gulf Coast, the city is prone to flooding from heavy rains; the most notable flooding events include Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, along with most recent Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019 and Tropical Storm Beta in 2020. [31] The following year, the discovery of oil at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont prompted the development of the Texas petroleum industry. The Astrodome, nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World",[43] opened in 1965 as the world's first indoor domed sports stadium. Houston is home to 337 parks, including Hermann Park, Terry Hershey Park, Lake Houston Park, Memorial Park, Tranquility Park, Sesquicentennial Park, Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park and Sam Houston Park. Users should exercise caution when comparing 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates. ABCNews. Landlocked farmers brought their produce to Houston, using Buffalo Bayou to gain access to Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico. No significant historically recorded earthquakes have occurred in Houston, but researchers do not discount the possibility of such quakes having occurred in the deeper past, nor occurring in the future. Many parts of the city have a high risk of localized flooding due to flat topography,[103] ubiquitous low-permeability clay-silt prairie soils,[104] and inadequate infrastructure. [324] Downtown and the Texas Medical Center have the highest rates of transit use in the region, largely due to the park and ride system, with nearly 60% of commuters in each district utilizing public transit to get to work. Sizable numbers, however, came through the domestic slave trade. [44] The new residents came for numerous employment opportunities in the petroleum industry, created as a result of the Arab oil embargo. The 2020 U.S. census determined Houston had a population of 2,304,280. The city's fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Parkin the Uptown District of the cityserves as a popular tourist attraction and for weddings and various celebrations. LGBT Houstonians needed to have a place to socialize after the closing of the gay bars. As of 2020, 28.9% of Houston, TX residents were born outside of the country (668k people). Houston has four state universities. In 2015, Southwest Airlines launched service from a new international terminal at Hobby to several destinations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Dallas , Houston, and San Antonio, three cities in Texas with populations of one million or more each, are among the ten most populated cities in the U.S. "[23], The Allen brothers ran their first advertisement for Houston just four days later in the Telegraph and Texas Register, naming the notional town in honor of President Sam Houston. Instead, there was no increase in Houston's homicide rate between 2015 and 2016. fourth most populous city in the United States, sixth most populous city in North America, ninth-most expansive city in the United States, natural disasters in the history of the United States, Marriage of Billie Ert and Antonio Molina, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network, List of colleges and universities in Houston, 10 largest institutions of higher learning, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, United States Department of Transportation, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations, "The Texas Triangle Megaregion Nears 21 Million Residents", "Promise and a few fibs launched this city's destiny", "2010 Port Industry Statistics, American Association of Port Authorities", "Houston Surpasses New York and Los Angeles as the 'Most Diverse in Nation', "Karankawas were among the First Texas Indians Encountered by Europeans", "Houston's Native American Heritage Runs Deep", "Houston Was the Railroad Center of Texas | RBH", J.H.W. [152], Before the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States the Marriage of Billie Ert and Antonio Molina, considered the first same-sex marriage in Texas history, took place on October 5, 1972. [192] In 2010, mining (which consists almost entirely of exploration and production of oil and gas in Houston) accounted for 26.3% of Houston's GAP up sharply in response to high energy prices and a decreased worldwide surplus of oil production capacity, followed by engineering services, health services, and manufacturing. [254] The event had a 5-year race contract through 2017 with IndyCar. [163] Other prominent Catholic jurisdictions include the Eastern Catholic Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church and Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as well as the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, whose cathedral is also in Houston. Houston has become known as a Black Mecca akin to Atlanta because it is a popular living destination for Black professionals and entrepreneurs. Nineteen school districts exist within the city of Houston. [13][14] The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled. The Houston Post was owned by the family of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby of Houston. For the unrelated county, see, This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties [271] The FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) indicates a downward trend of violent crime in Houston over the ten- and twenty-year periods ending in 2016, which is consistent with national trends. [282][283][284] The third-largest university in Texas, the University of Houston has nearly 44,000 students on its 667-acre (270-hectare) campus in the Third Ward. Different vintage years of estimates are not comparable. First of all, Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and is the economic center of the region. Fort Bend County, in which a portion of Houston resides, does not have a hospital district. KUHT channel 8 (Houston Public Media) is a PBS member station and is the first public television station in the United States. [338] In 2017, Bcycle logged over 142,000 check outs while expanding to 56 docking stations. The median age of the city was 33.4. The agency released the survey results Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, saying there are at least 241 wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. Such restrictions have had mixed results. QuickFacts Houston city, Texas; United States Table (a) Includes persons reporting only one race (c) Economic Census - Puerto Rico data are not comparable to The city issued 42,697 building permits in 2008 and was ranked first in the list of healthiest housing markets for 2009. Anglo Population by Metro Area Among the nations 50 most populous metros, Houston has the 12th largest Anglo population. [68] Underpinning Houston's land surface are unconsolidated clays, clay shales, and poorly cemented sands up to several miles deep. The damage for the Houston area was estimated at up to $125 billion U.S. dollars,[55] and was considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States,[56] with the death toll exceeding 70 people. Much of the city was built on forested land, marshes, or swamps, and all are still visible in surrounding areas. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the seventh-largest school district in the UnitedStates and the largest in Texas. [170], Houston's Jewish community, estimated at 47,000 in 2001, has been present in the city since the 1800s. The city won its first baseball championship during the 2017 event and won again 5 years later. [dubious discuss][117], In a recent case testing these regulations, near the Brickhouse Gulley, an old golf course that long served as a floodplain and reservoir for floodwaters, announced a change of heart toward intensifying development. [183] The Houston Ship Channel is also a large part of Houston's economic base. [330] A daily Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach connects Houston with Amtrak's ChicagoSan Antonio Texas Eagle at Longview. Texas' population grew in three ways: net domestic migration (230,961), net international migration (118,614) and natural increase (118,159). Clear 2 Table Map Chart Dashboard More Table About datasets used in this table Value Notes Comprising a land area of 640.4 square miles (1,659km2),[8] Houston is the ninth-most expansive city in the United States (including consolidated city-counties). With last year's population surge, Texas became the only state other than California with a resident population above 30 million. Economist and vice president of research at the Greater Houston Partnership Patrick Jankowski attributed Houston's success to the ability of the region's real estate and energy industries to learn from historical mistakes. In 2007, Downtown had over 43 million square feet (4,000,000 m2) of office space. [204] In 2010, the city was rated the best city for shopping, according to Forbes. The Houston Community College System (HCC) serves most of Houston proper; its main campus and headquarters are in Midtown. [334] Houston City Council approved the Houston Bike Plan in March 2017, at that time entering the plan into the Houston Code of Ordinances. (Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune, Evan In Houston 58.27% of the population is White. [103] During the mid-2010s, Greater Houston experienced consecutive major flood events in 2015 ("Memorial Day"),[105] 2016 ("Tax Day"),[106] and 2017 (Hurricane Harvey). St. Thomas provides a liberal arts curriculum for roughly 3,000 students at its historic 19-block campus along Montrose Boulevard. The museum houses the original Popemobile used by Pope John Paul II in the 1980s along with numerous hearses, embalming displays, and information on famous funerals. Houston is the seat of the Texas Medical Center, which is the largest medical center in the world,[299] and describes itself as containing the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare institutions. The ship channel continues past Galveston and then into the Gulf of Mexico. Rice University, the most selective university in Texas and one of the most selective in the United States,[287] is a private, secular institution with a high level of research activity. The Department of Medicine is currently seeking an experienced individual at the Instructor level to conduct cancer research. [87][88][89] Since 2000 over 30 skyscrapers have been developed in Houston; all told, 72 high-rises tower over the city, which adds up to about 8,300 units. [51][52] In May 2015, seven people died after 12 inches of rain fell in 10 hours during what is known as the Memorial Day Flood. National Weather Service Forecast Office, Houston/Galveston, Texas. Houston's violent crime rate was 8.6% percent higher in 2016 than the previous year. [209] The Greater Houston metropolitan area is home to an estimated 1.1million (21.4 percent) residents who were born outside the United States, with nearly two-thirds of the area's foreign-born population from south of the United StatesMexico border since 2009. [327] The light rail system saw approximately 16.8 million boardings in fiscal year 2016. Beneath the layers of sediment is a water-deposited layer of halite, a rock salt. [75] The six original wards of Houston are the progenitors of the 11 modern-day geographically oriented Houston City Council districts, though the city abandoned the ward system in 1905 in favor of a commission government, and, later, the existing mayorcouncil government.