Paige Martin: Houston Real Estate Bare Facts And Info

You want to relocate to Houston because 1) your company's relocating your job here; 2) you want a fresh start in a state with strong local economy; you want to try your luck in the city with one of the fastest local growth in the country; you just want to see if everything is indeed bigger in Texas. Whatever the case may be, relocating to Houston can be challenging, despite the promising prospects.

Before you even look at buying a home in Houston, it might be handy to go over the bare facts about the city - from real estate, to quality of living, all the way down to the vibe of all of Houston neighborhoods.


Houston is Texas' largest city and the country's fourth-largest. It has an estimated population of almost 2.2 million spread out across the city that encompasses more than 600 square miles.

Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of Houston–The Woodlands-Sugar Land, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the country.

Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou, now known as Allen's Landing, and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837.

26% of Houstonians are younger than 18, according to 2010 census data.

The median household income is roughly around $44,000, with 22% of the population living below the poverty level.

Houston's average travel time to work is 26 minutes. 297,000 vehicles travel Loop 610 near the Galleria; 296,000 travel Interstate 10 immediately west of the loop; and 249,000 travel Interstate 45 just north of I-10 each day.

A seven-mile, climate-controlled pedestrian tunnel connects major buildings in Downtown Houston. The tunnel houses an array of restaurants, shops and other services.

Houston boasts of more than 38,000 acres of parks and mostly wooded areas. 38 swimming pools, 60 community centers, 166 basketball courts, 241 playgrounds and 204 tennis courts serve as recreational centers for Houstonians. Hermann Park is frequented by around 6 million people every year while 10,000 runners trek the Memorial Park trails daily.

Houston carry four major four-year universities. University of Houston (largest of the four) has about 40,000 students at its main campus.

There are numerous pockets of neighborhoods in Houston, most notable of them Houston Heights and Timbergrove in Downtown; River Oaks, Memorial Parl, and Highland Village in Central Houston; Royal Oaks and Memorial Villages in West Houston; West U, Bellaire, and Braeswood in SouthWest Houston; and Tanglewood and Briargrove in Central West Houston.


The Houston real estate market is on fire, even topping Forbes' latest “Top 10 Healthiest Housing Markets” list. Among the well sought after properties are homes for sale in The Heights, condos for sale in the Galleria area, and lofts for sale in Downtown Houston.

The world's largest medical complex, Texas Medical Center, caters to more than 7 million patients each year. 28,000 babies are delivered at center hospitals annually with over 350,00 surgical operations performed every year.

These represent the tip of the massive iceberg that is Houston. If you are interested in finding more about Houston and its real estate scene, contact Paige Martin or visit HoustonProperties.com.