West University Place receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West University Place
Houston
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs63 · Top 28%
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs22 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 37%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
76 · Top 15%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | West University Place | Houston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,982 | 2,328,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $64,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $151,767 | $42,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,476/sq mi | 3,634/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,472,000 | $277,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.3% | 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 | 90.4% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.7% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 11,337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 13.9% | -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 | 15 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 885 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.78 | 15.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 6.1% | 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
West University Place
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.
West University Place
66
Your Score
60
Area Score
Houston
58
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West University Place, TX · Houston, TX · How this is calculated: methodology