Houston: Density & Land Area of Inner Loop (610) (Bellaire, River Oaks: apartments, condos)

[DANNYY]

Zip Codes within Inner Loop (23) 2008 Estimates:
-77002: 15,062
-77003: 10,421
-77004: 34,432
-77005: 25,083
-77006: 21,393
-77007: 25,499
-77008: 32,485
-77009: 48,035
-77010: 00,086
-77011: 26,128
-77012: 28,533
-77019: 17,727
-77020: 32,505
-77021: 27,382
-77023: 37,460
-77025: 26,727
-77026: 31,275
-77027: 16,114
-77029: 10,355
-77030: 12,449
-77046: 00,533
-77054: 09,439
-77098: 13,804
Total: 521,761 (96.1037 square miles) = 5,379 people per square mile

Notes:
- Yes, I did take into account some of the zip codes have land area that extends out of the loop, I spent 4 months on this project and got the population within the loop as accurately as I could. And I must say myself that it is as accurate as the numbers can be for 2008 estimates of population.
- I also used various maps on this project, and it took a lot of spread sheets to compile this, because to take a zip code reaching out of the inner loop and to figure how much of its population was in the part inside the loop was tough. I used population concentration charts and various sources for where the most developed portions of certain zip codes were.
- Anyways, inner loop Houston is smaller than city of Atlanta by 37 square miles and only 20,000 less people, it is denser than the city of Atlanta.
- I did include the population for the part of the city of Bellaire within the inner loop for the total population of inner loop.

You can trace all of the zip codes within the loop here:
http://www.zipfocus.com/images/zipmap/Inner%20large.gif

And you can check their boundaries here:
http://www.houstontx.gov/zipcodes/zipcode.jpg

Yes, I also used book references to calculate the population, a book about zip codes actually and population density within the zip code and concentration of density to compile the numbers for the 3 zip codes that were half in and half out of the inner loop. Honestly the hardest part was getting the estimate of the population for the zip codes that branched out of inner loop, (3 zip codes in particular) and that was the longest part of all of this, but its done!

Also on another reference please keep in mind it is now 2010, the inner loop has numerically added more people since this population above since this was in 2008.

I've had this information saved on my excel sheet for a month now, thought might as well post it now before I forget.

Anyways bye, I am going back into my month and a half time frame of no interactions with anyone or anything by posts on this site. Everyone have a good time, and don't let that summer weather in Houston stop you from having a great time for what its worth!

Later!

[tstone]

Wow, according to this, roughly 91% of people in the Houston metro and 75% of Houston-city-limits folks do not live inside the loop. I would've thought less.

What would be more interesting would be to compare the census from 2000 vs 2010 to see what that percentage moved from.

You should also break down the ''trendy'' zip codes and see what that adds up to.

[City Love]

Great info! Is 77009 the largest in size? I know it's not extremely dense. Mostly single family homes.

[EasilyAmused]

Not surprised. It' not like there are Sky Scraper Condos packing the loop. It's still very suburban. I think more people live outside the loop, yet inside the Beltway.

[DANNYY]

Nah I compared it to the population of inner loop in the year 2000, its seen a big gain. The same amount of gain that the city of Atlanta got almost.

[HtownLove]

I think the largest concentration is around zip 77036. I think there were 75K people in a 7sq mile area in 2000. don't know the stats now

77081 and 77072 were huge too

[300zxtwinturbo]

The inner loop is going to blow up once they complte the rail expansion, because it will promote more growth along the lines, look at what has happened to midtown. And if they build the dynamo stadium in downtown along the east end lines and growth continues to develop there the word will get out. I know that the inner loop is the only area of houston that I will live in

[DANNYY]

I think inner loop will function like a Northeastern city, IMO. Because they are adding in more sidewalks and bike trails. They are adding in Streetcar system, they are expanding LRT system, they are going to start the branch of CRT system from there, the BRT system is improving. And all the core areas will be linked, and all the brand new developments, like West Avenue, Regent Square, River Oaks District, BLVD Place, among others that are either under construction or planned to start soon are in inner loop.

Houston is going through a renaissance right now, and thats changing the way Houston was before.

I also like how it will function like two different cities, inner loop being the definition of dense city for Texas and nice compact and walkable with ease in transportation with the outer loop areas being more of a suburban and spread out area for those that prefer that lifestyle. And then of course the suburbs right outside of that.

It will be like a spectrum of difference within Metro Houston.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Awesome Danny

I think inner loop will function like a Northeastern city, IMO. Because they are adding in more sidewalks and bike trails. They are adding in Streetcar system, they are expanding LRT system, they are going to start the branch of CRT system from there, the BRT system is improving. And all the core areas will be linked, and all the brand new developments, like West Avenue, Regent Square, River Oaks District, BLVD Place, among others that are either under construction or planned to start soon are in inner loop.

Houston is going through a renaissance right now, and thats changing the way Houston was before.

I also like how it will function like two different cities, inner loop being the definition of dense city for Texas and nice compact and walkable with ease in transportation with the outer loop areas being more of a suburban and spread out area for those that prefer that lifestyle. And then of course the suburbs right outside of that.

It will be like a spectrum of difference within Metro Houston.

Great work. But I think sometimes people get carried away with the "the loop" concept and forget that there are some great areas outside of the loop and denser ones too. I think you are correct that the core will continue to transform but it isn't subjected to inside the loop and outside. Houston, as a whole, is a growing quickly but the large majority is still moving outside of the city limits.

[rogerbacon]

I can't understand why any sane person would want density. Density = bad. Congestion = bad. Packed in like sardines = bad. It is a pressure cooker waiting to explode. People use the word "sprawl" on this forum like it is a bad thing but sprawl is GOOD. It means more space and more breathing room for everyone. It means yards where children can actually play without having to worry about bing run over by cars when they are forced to play in the street.
Your poll didn't have the choice I would have voted for: I would like to see the inner loop become far less dense. I understnad they are building a third loop around the city. THAT is how cities should grow. More roads and more infrastructure but not by packing people in close together. God, you people don't know how much land you have out here. Use it! Back in Miami there is no land left (ocean on one side, protected everglades on the other). Even there most people are against being forced into apartments crowded together. People want land!
Houston has an amazing road system with traffic not nearly as bad as Miami. Be thankful that the city sprawls out as much as it does. If it was denser traffic would be much worse. Oh, but the counterargument that you can almost hear people screamiing, is that with enough density then you could get rid of the cars and have (publicly subsidized) mass-transportation. And THAT is the real motivation behind some people's interest in density. They want to get people to stop driving. Your car reperesents your freedom, your independence, your ability to do things on your own schedule. Mass-transit is the antithesis of that in every way: collectivism, socialism (because it is subsidized by people who don't 'benefit' from it), central planning. If I ever had to pick one example to illistrate the difference between a free-market society and a socialist-communist one, it would be the car vs mass-transit.