EDUCATION AND POVERTY

prepared by the Houston-Galveston Area Council

overviewhousing & land useeconomy & workforceeducation & healthenvironment & transportationsources

35791113

harris county

2017 PROFILE

prefaceIn 2013, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) developed Our Great Region 2040, a regional plan for sustainable development. The plan lays out a long-range vision to ensure that the 13-county region is one of the world’s greatest places to live, work, and succeed by 2040.

The 2017 profiles for all 13 counties in the region provide a demographic snapshot and build a baseline understanding from which local communities and H-GAC can gauge how the region has advanced the tenets of the Our Great Region 2040 plan.

The contents of this report have been gathered from a variety of sources referenced on the last two pages. All maps were produced by H-GAC.

To read the Our Great Region 2040 plan and all 13 county profiles, visit ourregion.org/county-profiles.html or h-gac.com/go/apps.

1 harris county

2040

grea tv

big ideasStrategies in the Our Great Region 2040 plan are grouped into Big Ideas for six different topics highlighting areas of opportunity within the region. The Big Ideas serve as high-level guides when considering new projects or policies. This 2017 county profile includes a range of demographic data points that correspond with one or multiple Big Ideas.

2

RResiliencyIncreasing our resiliency to disaster and a changing environment

Economic DevelopmentStrengthening our economic competitiveness through an educated and skilled workforce

Healthy CommunitiesCultivating places where people can lead active, healthy lives

HousingProviding balanced housing choices near jobs, services, and transportation options

TransportationAchieving a world-class transportation network

EnvironmentSecuring a clean and ample water supply

10

99

290

10

45

610

69

45

69

90

8

6

HoustonCounty Seat

PasadenaBaytown

Atascocita

Spring

Fort Bend

Brazoria

Montgomery

Liberty

Chambers

Waller

Harris

Residents Per Square MilePopulation Growth ForecastHarris County is most dense county in the region.

Harris County grew by 88% from 1980 to 2015 and is expected to reach 6,328,000 residents by 2040.

1980

2010

2000

1990

2020

2030

2040

560

20

6,328,000

2,410,000

2015 4,538,000

2,590

3 harris county

OVERVIEW

County Seat: HoustonLargest City: Houston

Other counties

Top 5 cities

Major roads

Harris County

Harris County Boundaries

N

10

99

290

10

45

610

69

45

69

90

8

6

0 4 8 miles

Galveston

RegionBrazoria

Montgom

eryFort Bend

Chambers

Wharton

Walker

Matagorda

Colorado

Liberty

Austin

Waller

Harris

Race and EthnicityHarris County is more racially diverse than the region and the state, and has more Hispanic residents than any other race or ethnicity.

County Region TexasWhite

Hispanic*

BlackAsianOther

32% 39% 44%

42% 36% 38%

18% 17% 12%7% 7% 4%

2% 2% 2%

Median Household IncomeHarris County has a slightly higher median household income than the region.

$53,200

$54,500

Poverty RateHarris County has a higher rate of poverty than the region and state.

County

Region

Texas

18% 27% 11%

16% 23% 10%

17% 25% 11%

Overall Children (under 18) Seniors (65 and over)

4

AgeHarris County has a similar age profile as the region.

Ages 18-34

over 65

Ages 0-17

Ages 35-64

27%27%

26%25%

38%39%

9%10%

CountyRegion

*As defined by the Office of Management and Budget as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

Galveston

Texas

Montgom

eryBrazoria

Fort BendCham

bers

Wharton

Walker

Matagorda

ColoradoLiberty

Austin

Waller

Harris

5 harris county

Harris County Land Use

8 Miles¯

10

99

290

10

45

610

69

45

69

90

8

6

12 miles0 3 6

N

HarrisWaller

Fort Bend

MontgomeryLiberty

BrazoriaGalveston

Forest, shrubs, pasture, grasslands, barren lands and cultivated crops

23%

Wetlands12%

Open water3%Developed Land63%

Other counties

Building Permits IssuedSingle-family construction has not recovered from a peak in 2006 while multi-family permits have dropped sharply between 2014 and 2016.

1990

1992

1998

2010

2012

1996

2004

2006

2008

1994

2002

2000

2014

2016

8,100

33,000

Single Family 15,500 units

13,400

2,000 Multi-Family 7,200 units

0 4 8 miles

HOUSING & LAND USE

Median Home ValueHarris County has a slightly higher median home value than the region.

Texas

AustinG

alveston

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Walker

Waller

$136,000$137,800

Housing Units Built Since 2000One-quarter of Harris County’s housing units were built since 2000.

25%25%

Housing TypeHarris County has a lower portion of single family homes than the region.

Single Family Multi-Family RV, boat, & mobile home

61% 36% 3%

66% 29% 5%

68% 24% 8%

County

Region

Texas

6

Wetlands

Open water

Developed Land

Living CostsHarris County households spend 49% of their income on transportation and housing.

21%

28% Housing

Transportation

Vacant Housing UnitsAround 10% of Harris County’s housing units are vacant.

10%

Fort Bend

Brazoria Cham

bers

Harris

Colorado

Matagorda

Liberty

Housing TenureHarris County has a lower rate of homeownership than the region or the state.

Owners 55% Renters 45%

61% 39%

62% 38%

County

Region

Texas

Texas

Austin

Harris

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Colorado

Waller

Fort BendCham

bers

Brazoria

Liberty

Walker

Galveston

Matagorda

ECONOMY & WORKFORCE

City of Houston

Administaff

Harris CountyExxonMobil

Baylor College of Medicine

Cypress Fairbanks ISD

Houston ISD

United AirlinesMemorial Hermann Healthcare System

University of Texas System Cancer CenterWal-Mart Associates, Inc.

Major Employers in Harris County

Top Industries by Percent of Overall Jobs

Retail TradeEducational

Services

Health Care & Social Assistance

Manufacturing9%

10%11%

11%

8%

9%

10%

10%

7 harris county

Employment & Education (16-19 Year Olds)Around 8% of Harris County’s working-age teens are both unemployed and out of school.

Enrolled in School Employed, Not in School Not in School or Employed

85% 7% 8%

85% 7% 8%

County

Region

Employment in Harris County remained diverse between 2002 and 2014, with each of the top four industries employing more people in 2014 than in 2002.

2002 2014

Retail Trade

Educational Services

Health Care & Social Assistance

Manufacturing

*This reflects the most up-to-date publicly available data and may not represent the current mix of major employers in the county.

Around 80% of Harris County residents work in the county, and 65% of workers in the county live there.

Workers’ Job & Home Destinations

Aust

in

Wha

rton

Fort

Ben

d

Fort

Ben

d

Mat

agor

da

Colo

rado

Mon

tgom

ery

Mon

tgom

ery

Braz

oria

Gal

vest

on

Gal

vest

on

Braz

oria

Cham

bers

Cham

bers

Wal

ler

Wal

ker

Libe

rty

Wal

ler

Colo

rado

Mat

agor

da

Libe

rty

Wal

ker

Wha

rton

Aust

in

Out

side

Reg

ion

Out

side

Reg

ion

Har

ris

1,402,400 Harris County residents both live and work in the county.

175,

000

5,20

0

64,6

00

4,10

0

68,9

00

5,30

0

3,40

0

22,3

00

2,40

0

600

183,

300

11,4

00

48,0

00

3,00

0

900 10

3,20

0

8,40

0

4,70

0

21,7

00

1,20

0

500 58

,000

5,30

0

2,60

0

288,

200

15,9

00

Workers in the county who live elsewhereCounty residents who work elsewhere

8

Unemployment Rate Earnings of ResidentsHarris County’s unemployment mirrors national trends, and was higher than the nation in 2016.

Half of Harris County residents earn more than $40,000 annually, a lower percentage than the region.

2006

2010

2012

2014

2008

2016

County 5.3%

8.3%

5.0%

Nation 4.9%

9.6%

4.6%

$15,000 or less

$15,000- $40,000

$40,000 or more

Region

52%

31%

17% Harris

50%

33%

17%

EDUCATION

20%

23%

27%

18%

24%

28%

30%

18%

25%

29%

28%

County

Region

Texas

Less than High School

High School or Equivalent

Some College or Associate’s

Bachelor’s Degree or More

Harris County has a similar educational attainment split as the region and state.

Educational Attainment

Median Earnings by Educational AttainmentA Harris County resident with a graduate or professional degree makes, on average, $54,400 more than a resident with less than a high school education annually.

Less th

an

high school

$10K

High school o

r

equivalent

Some colle

ge or

Associa

te’s

Bachelor’s

Graduate or

Professi

onal

$20,500

$27,200

$ 35,700

$55,900

$74,900

$80K

Harris County students graduated at a lower rate in 2015 than the students of most counties in the region.

Class of 2015 Graduation Rate

92%83%

96%85%87%

Local Schools

Channelview ISD Klein ISD

Aldine ISD Humble ISDPublic Secondary Schools

Tomball ISDWaller ISD

Spring ISD

Houston ISDHuffman ISD

Galena Park ISDGoose Creek ISD

Spring Branch ISD

Crosby ISD Pasadena ISDCypress-Fairbanks ISDDeer Park ISD

Sheldon ISD

Alief ISD Katy ISD

Clear Creek ISD La Porte ISD

Houston Baptist University

Alvin Community College

University of St. Thomas

Texas Southern UniversityUniversity of Houston

San Jacinto CollegeTexas Women’s University

Lone Star CollegeRice University

Baylor College of Medicine

University of Texas

Houston Community College

Post-Secondary Schools

9 harris county

29%

Austin

Liberty

Montgom

ery

Brazoria

Wharton

Walker

Fort Bend

All H

arris StudentsH

ispanic Harris Students

White H

arris Students

Black Harris Students

Asian H

arris Students

Galveston

Waller

Colorado

Matagorda

Chambers

HEALTH

Population without Health InsuranceA higher percentage of Harris County residents lack health insurance than the region or state.

24%13%

12%

12%

21%

21%

County

Region

Texas

Children (under 18) Total population

Harris County has a lower obesity rate than the state.

Adult Obesity Rate

27% 31%

Top Causes of Death Per 100,000 Harris County residents

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease

Cancer (all types)

166160

413732242017

SepticemiaDiabetes

Stroke

Heart disease

Kidney Disease

Accidents

10

Austin

Colorado

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Walker

Waller

Texas

Fort Bend

Galveston

Liberty

Brazoria

Chambers

Harris

Matagorda

Dentists Per Capita

County 63 per 100,000

Texas 53 per 100,000

Doctors Per Capita

County 82 per 100,000

Texas 74 per 100,000

ENVIRONMENT

11 harris county

Residents in 100-year Floodplain Residents in Hurricane Evacuation ZoneAbout the same percentage of Harris County residents live in a 100-year floodplain as the region.

Only 20% of Harris County residents live in a hurricane evacuation zone, as opposed to 25% of the region.

11% 12%

RegionCounty

20% 25%

RegionCounty

Harris County EcoRegions & Conservation Districts

Conservation and Recreation Lands

Southern Post Oak Savanna

Northern Humid Gulf Coast Prairie

Flatwoods

Other counties

Gulf of Mexico

Harris

LibertyMontgomery

Fort Bend

0 4 8 milesN

TRANSPORTATION

Harris County workers commute for about the same amount of time as the region as a whole.

Mean Commute to Work (minutes)

29

28

21

Harris County drivers travel about the same distance annually as the average driver in the region.

Vehicle Miles Traveled per Person

34,100

8,7008,600

6,000

Commute Mode to WorkA lower percentage of Harris County workers drive to work compared to the region as a whole.

County 79% 11% 3% 3% 3%

Region 80% 11% 4% 2% 3%

Drive alone

Carpool

Work from

home

Public transit

Walk, bike, other

Harris County has a lower rate of traffic fatalities than the rest of the region.

Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 Residents

9 County

9

Region 10

11

2010 2015

12

Chambers

Austin

Galveston

Fort Bend

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Liberty

Matagorda

Colorado

Walker

Brazoria

Waller

Harris

Region

Chambers

Austin

Galveston

Fort Bend

Montgomery

Wharton

Liberty

Matagorda

Colorado

Walker

Brazoria

Waller

HarrisRegion

SOURCES

13 harris county

Overview

Economy & Workforce

Housing & Land Use

Top Industries by Percent of Overall JobsU.S. Census Bureau, 2002-2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics ProgramMajor Employers in Harris County2016 Workforce Solutions, County Economic ProfilesEmployment & Education (16-19 Year Olds)U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B14005Unemployment RateU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2006-2016Earnings of ResidentsU.S. Census Bureau, 2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics ProgramWorkers’ Job & Home DestinationsU.S. Census Bureau, 2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program

Harris County Boundaries (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Harris County Land Use (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Population Growth ForecastHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Building Permits IssuedU.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 1990-2015

Residents per Square MileHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Housing TenureU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

AgeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B01001

Housing TypeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

Median Household IncomeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S2503

Vacant Housing UnitsU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

Poverty RateU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S1701

Living CostsCenter for Neighborhood Technology 2013 H+T® Index

Race and EthnicityU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002

Median Home ValueU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04Housing Units Built Since 2000U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

14

Education & Health

Environment & Transportation

Educational AttainmentU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S1501

Harris County EcoRegions & Conservation Districts (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Local SchoolsTexas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Residents in 100-year FloodplainHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Class of 2015 Graduation RateTexas Education Agency, Four-Year Graduation and Dropout Data, Class of 2015

Residents in Hurricane Evacuation ZoneHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Median Earnings by Educational AttainmentU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B20004

Mean Commute to Work (minutes)U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S0802

Population without Health InsuranceU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S2701

Vehicle Miles Traveled per PersonTexas Department of Transportation, 2015 Roadway Inventory

Top Causes of DeathTexas Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Health Statistics, 2013 County Health Facts Profiles

Commute Mode to WorkU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S0802

Adult Obesity RateCenter for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013 County Data Indicators

Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 ResidentsTexas Department of Transportation, 2010-2015, Crash Records Information System

Dentists per CapitaU.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Area Health Resources FilesDoctors per CapitaU.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Area Health Resources Files

Houston-Galveston Area CouncilPO Box 22777 Houston, Texas 77227-2777

www.h-gac.comwww.ourregion.org

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