Houston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Houston
Houston
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
73 · Top 13%
vs63 · Top 28%
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs22 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 13%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | South Houston | Houston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,033 | 2,328,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,497 | $64,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,830 | $42,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,264/sq mi | 3,634/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,300 | $277,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.3% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 78 | 11,337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 271.4% | -2.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.2 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 885 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.63 | 15.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.8% | 34.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.4% | 39.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.8% | 71.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
South Houston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Houston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Houston
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
Houston
58
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Houston, TX · Houston, TX · How this is calculated: methodology