County population in 2016: 23,568 (27% urban, 73% rural); it was 23,185 in 2000County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 2,483 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 3,831 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 6,283 Renter-occupied apartments: 2,342 (it was 1,976 in 2000)
% of renters here:
24%
State:
36%
Land area: 1231 sq. mi.
Water area: 5.9 sq. mi.
Population density: 19 people per square mile (low).
Mar. 2016 cost of living index in Houston County: 80.3 (low, U.S. average is 100)
Industries providing employment: Educational, health and social services (46.5%), Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services (12.4%), Agriculture,forestry,fishing and hunting, and mining (12.2%).
Estimated median household income in 2016: $33,523 ($28,119 in 1999)
This county:
$33,523
Texas:
$56,565
Median contract rent in 2016 for apartments: $487 (lower quartile is $362, upper quartile is $598)
This county:
$487
State:
$809
Estimated median house or condo value in 2016: $87,597 (it was $48,400 in 2000)
Houston:
$87,597
Texas:
$161,500
Lower value quartile - upper value quartile: $47,455 - $176,468 Median monthly housing costs for homes and condos with a mortgage: $1,012 Median monthly housing costs for units without a mortgage: $389
Institutionalized population: 2,885
Crime in 2005 (reported by the sheriff's office or county police, not the county total):
Murders: 0
Rapes: 1
Robberies: 0
Assaults: 6
Burglaries: 57
Thefts: 56
Auto thefts: 4
Crime in 2004 (reported by the sheriff's office or county police, not the county total):
Murders: 1
Rapes: 2
Robberies: 1
Assaults: 4
Burglaries: 51
Thefts: 71
Auto thefts: 10
Single-family new house construction building permits:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2016: $1,303 (1.4%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2016: $866 (1.0%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2016: 22.9%
Houston County:
22.9%
Texas:
15.6%
(12.9% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 39.8% for Black residents, 43.5% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 52.2% for other race residents, 40.1% for two or more races residents)
Median age of residents in 2016: 44.9 years old
(Males: 43.3 years old, Females: 47.6 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 50.2 years old, Black residents: 40.2 years old, American Indian residents: 50.6 years old, Asian residents: 30.2 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 30.8 years old, Other race residents: 26.7 years old)
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Houston County is $500 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $560 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $670 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Houston County: Dry Hollow School (A), Ellis Ranch (B), Slator Ranch (C), Stevens Ranch (D), Eola Volunteer Fire Department (E), The Earnest and Dorothy Barrow Foundation Museum (F). Display/hide their locations on the map
Cemeteries: Loveless Cemetery (1), Live Oak Cemetery (2), Eden Cemetery (3), Lakeview Community Cemetery (4), Millersview Cemetery (5), Sudduth Cemetery (6), Paint Rock Cemetery (7). Display/hide their locations on the map
Reservoirs: Chandler Lake (A), Allison Lake (B), Sims Lake (C), Chandler Lake (D), W H Ellis Lake (E), Soil Conservation Service Site 1 Reservoir (F), Soil Conservation Service Site 3 Reservoir (G), Hartgrove Lake (H). Display/hide their locations on the map
Streams, rivers, and creeks: Amos Creek (A), Welch Creek (B), Little Concho Creek (C), Lipan Creek (D), Concho River (E), Mustang Creek (F), Maverick Creek (G), Burr Oak Creek (H), Live Oak Creek (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 487 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 82.5% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 14.9%
Number of foreign born residents: 939 (42.8% naturalized citizens)
Houston County:
4.0%
Whole state:
17.0%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
2010 or later: 148
2000 to 2009: 311
1990 to 1999: 180
1980 to 1989: 112
1970 to 1979: 52
Before 1970: 45
Note: State values scaled to Houston County population
Mean travel time to work (commute): 23.9 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 79.1%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 7,925
One, attached: 167
Two: 490
3 or 4: 150
5 to 9: 114
10 to 19: 42
20 to 49: 47
50 or more: 26
Mobile homes: 2,840
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 20
Housing units in Houston County with a mortgage: 1,791 (14 second mortgage, 18 home equity loan, 4 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 4,155
Here:
20.0% with mortgage
State:
57.8% with mortgage
Religion statistics for Houston County
Religion
Adherents
Congregations
Evangelical Protestant
7,982
63
Black Protestant
1,538
7
Mainline Protestant
1,485
14
Catholic
1,411
1
Other
145
2
None
11,171
-
Houston County Religion Details
Source: Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E.Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H.Taylor. 2012. 2010 U.S.Religion Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study. Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Food Environment Statistics:
Number of grocery stores: 3
Houston County:
1.32 / 10,000 pop.
State:
1.47 / 10,000 pop.
Number of supercenters and club stores: 1
Here:
0.44 / 10,000 pop.
Texas:
0.14 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (no gas): 4
This county:
1.76 / 10,000 pop.
Texas:
1.11 / 10,000 pop.
Number of convenience stores (with gas): 10
Houston County:
4.41 / 10,000 pop.
Texas:
3.95 / 10,000 pop.
Number of full-service restaurants: 9
This county:
3.97 / 10,000 pop.
State:
6.13 / 10,000 pop.
Adult diabetes rate:
Houston County:
11.4%
Texas:
8.9%
Adult obesity rate:
Houston County:
29.9%
State:
26.6%
Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Here:
17.3%
State:
15.7%
Agriculture in Houston County:
Average size of farms: 307 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $22,776 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $107.08 The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 81.59% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $25,113 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 12.76% Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 7.34% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $34,366 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 93.92% Average age of principal farm operators: 60 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 22.25 Corn for grain: 2777 harvested acres Upland cotton: 4406 harvested acres Vegetables: 788 harvested acres Land in orchards: 1,547 acres
Tornado activity:
Houston County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is significantly below Texas state average. It is 24498482.6 times below overall U.S. average.
Earthquake activity:
Houston County-area historical earthquake activity is below Texas state average. It is 82% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 6/16/1978 at 11:46:54, a magnitude 5.3 (4.4 MB, 4.6 UK, 5.3 ML, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 333.6 miles away from Houston County center On 9/6/1997 at 23:38:00, a magnitude 4.5 (4.5 LG, 4.2 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 237.8 miles away from the county center On 2/10/2006 at 04:14:22, a magnitude 5.3 (4.2 MB, 5.3 MS, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 396.5 miles away from the county center On 4/9/1993 at 12:29:19, a magnitude 4.3 (4.1 MB, 4.3 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 237.0 miles away from the county center On 4/14/1995 at 00:32:56, a magnitude 5.7 (5.6 MB, 5.7 MS, 5.7 MW, Depth: 11.1 mi) earthquake occurred 476.7 miles away from Houston County center On 1/21/1982 at 00:33:54, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 LG, 4.5 LG) earthquake occurred 324.8 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), local magnitude (ML), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW)
Most recent natural disasters:
Texas Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: May 22, 2016 to June 24, 2016, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4272: June 11, 2016, FEMA Id: 4272, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
Texas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding, Incident Period: May 04, 2015 to June 23, 2015, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4223: May 29, 2015, FEMA Id: 4223, Natural disaster type: Storm, Tornado, Flood, Wind
Texas Wildfires, Incident Period: August 30, 2011 to December 31, 2011, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-4029: September 09, 2011, FEMA Id: 4029, Natural disaster type: Fire
Texas Hurricane Ike, Incident Period: September 07, 2008 to October 02, 2008, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1791: September 13, 2008, FEMA Id: 1791, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Wildfires, Incident Period: March 14, 2008 to September 01, 2008, Emergency Declared EM-3284: March 14, 2008, FEMA Id: 3284, Natural disaster type: Fire
Texas Hurricane Rita, Incident Period: September 23, 2005 to October 14, 2005, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1606: September 24, 2005, FEMA Id: 1606, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Hurricane Rita, Incident Period: September 20, 2005 to October 14, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3261: September 21, 2005, FEMA Id: 3261, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Hurricane Katrina, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 01, 2005, Emergency Declared EM-3216: September 02, 2005, FEMA Id: 3216, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Texas Loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia, Incident Period: February 01, 2003, Emergency Declared EM-3171: February 01, 2003, FEMA Id: 3171, Natural disaster type: Other
Texas Severe Storms and Flooding, Incident Period: June 05, 2001 to June 20, 2001, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared DR-1379: June 09, 2001, FEMA Id: 1379, Natural disaster type: Storm, Flood
8 other natural disasters have been reported since 1953.
The number of natural disasters in Houston County (18) is greater than the US average (13). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 11 Emergencies Declared: 7
Causes of natural disasters: Storms: 8, Floods: 7, Fires: 5, Hurricanes: 4, Tornadoes: 3, Wind: 1, Other: 1 (Note: Some incidents may be assigned to more than one category).
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (10%)
Sales and related occupations (9%)
Management occupations (6%)
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (6%)
Transportation occupations (6%)
Office and administrative support occupations (21%)
Sales and related occupations (12%)
Education, training, and library occupations (12%)
Management occupations (8%)
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (7%)
Healthcare support occupations (7%)
Food preparation and serving related occupations (5%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Mexico (75%)
Thailand (6%)
Korea (3%)
Costa Rica (2%)
El Salvador (2%)
Nicaragua (1%)
United Kingdom, excluding England and Scotland (1%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Houston County (%):
English (14%)
American (8%)
Irish (7%)
German (4%)
Scottish (1%)
Scotch-Irish (1%)
European (1%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 6,332 (82.6%)
Carpooled: 678 (8.8%)
Bus or trolley bus: 6 (0.1%)
Railroad: 5 (0.1%)
Taxicab, motorcycle, or other means: 135 (1.8%)
Walked: 96 (1.3%)
Worked at home: 430 (5.6%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders ($)
People in group quarters in Houston County, Texas in 2000:
2,386 people in state prisons
318 people in nursing homes
243 people in training schools for juvenile delinquents
52 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
People in group quarters in Houston County, Texas in 2010:
2,436 people in state prisons
270 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
109 people in correctional facilities intended for juveniles
70 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
23 people in workers' group living quarters and job corps centers
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2010 was $38,706.
6.24% of this county's 2011 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2010 ($32,080 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.24%
Texas average:
7.14%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
5.13% relocated from other counties in Texas ($25,516 average AGI)
1.11% relocated from other states ($6,564 average AGI)
Houston County:
1.11%
Texas average:
2.49%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2010 and 2011:
6.74% of this county's 2010 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2011 ($31,368 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
6.74%
Texas average:
6.69%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
5.73% relocated to other counties in Texas ($26,063 average AGI)
1.01% relocated to other states ($5,305 average AGI)
Houston County:
1.01%
Texas average:
2.01%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2010 and 2011:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 12.4 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 11.2
Births per 1000 population in Houston County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 13.8 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 13.4 Deaths per 1000 population from 2007 to 2014: 13.1
Deaths per 1000 population in Houston County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 8.3 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 5.1
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Houston County
Population without health insurance coverage in 2013: 27.0% Persons under 19 years old without health insurance coverage in 2013: 15.6%
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Houston County
Percentage of population without health insurance coverage in Houston County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2007: 4,628 (3,925 aged, 703 disabled) Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2007: 660 (14%)
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Aged persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Disabled persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare)
Most common underlying causes of death in Houston County, Texas in 1999 - 2014:
Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified (567)
Bronchus or lung, unspecified - Malignant neoplasms (325)
Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction (160)
Pneumonia, unspecified (140)
Unspecified diabetes mellitus, without complications (121)
Atherosclerotic heart disease (113)
Unspecified dementia (109)
Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 20% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 19%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 4.29 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 10,587 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 232 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 43,947
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,090 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1,279
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 27 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 56
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 9
Crimes per 100,000 population in 1996: 1
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 149.4. This is more than state average.
Household type by relationship:
Households: 23,568
In family households: 16,894 (2,424 male householders, 2,971 female householders)
3,879 spouses, 5,851 children (5,470 natural, 133 adopted, 248 stepchildren), 752 grandchildren, 163 brothers or sisters, 236 parents, 363 other relatives, 249 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 3,453 (1,301 male householders (1,190 living alone)), 1,757 female householders (1,621 living alone)), 379 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 3,165
Size of family households: 2,785 2-persons, 1,130 3-persons, 960 4-persons, 259 5-persons, 194 6-persons, 49 7-or-more-persons.
2,201 married couples with children.
1,415 single-parent households (154 men, 1,261 women).
92.0% of residents of Houston speak English at home.
7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home (47% speak English very well, 27% speak English well, 15% speak English not well, 11% don't speak English at all).
0.2% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (100% speak English very well).
0.5% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (21% speak English very well, 43% speak English well, 36% speak English not well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $171,225,000 ($7,348 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $6,030,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $66,316,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $39,637,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $1,582,000 Federal grants: $55,928,000 Federal procurement contracts: $3,192,000 ($2,071,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $4,569,000 ($0,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $437,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $1,890,000 Federal Government insurance: $4,493,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 1,362
Here:
59 per 1000 residents
State:
85 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 1,617
Here:
70 per 1000 residents
State:
35 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +243
Here:
+10 per 1000 residents
State:
+29 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: +75
Here:
+3 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Houston County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 3.61 millions of gallons per day (52% from ground, 48% from surface)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
5.5
State:
6.2
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.5
State:
4.1
Year house built
2014 or later: 248
2010 to 2013: 311
2000 to 2009: 1,526
1990 to 1999: 1,924
1980 to 1989: 2,258
1970 to 1979: 1,840
1960 to 1969: 1,191
1950 to 1959: 987
1940 to 1949: 547
1939 or earlier: 888
Note: State values scaled to Houston population
Rooms in houses/apartments in Houston County, Texas
Note: State values scaled to Houston County population
no vehicle: 213
1 vehicle: 1,593
2 vehicles: 2,606
3 vehicles: 1,009
4 vehicles: 395
5+ vehicles: 13
no vehicle: 353
1 vehicle: 1,547
2 vehicles: 510
3 vehicles: 83
4 vehicles: 32
5+ vehicles: 0
92% of Houston County residents lived in the same house 1 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 30% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 84% lived in Texas.
Houston County:
91.9%
State average:
84.1%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 18,643
Other state: 3,745
Northeast: 359
Midwest: 806
South: 1,919
West: 666
Year Householders Moved Into Unit
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Houston County
Click here to upload your Houston County photos (outside city limits)
44.9 years
34.5 years
(53.6%)
(46.4%)
, Bacon County, Georgia 
, Rapides Parish, Louisiana 
, Runnels County 
, Schleicher County 
