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COUNTY

Harris County

Texas · 5,045,026 residents (2025 est.) · 1,707 sq mi
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Part of the Houston metro area
The short version

Harris County is a county of 4,838,303 people in Texas. Few US counties rank higher on income. Growth has run 42% since 2000, or 1,437,725 more people. The foreign-born share is 27%. The median age is 34.6, younger than the US median of 38.9. 55% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 80%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
4,838,303
+42%since 2000
from 3,400,578 in 2000
5,045,026 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,834 / sq mi
+24%since 2009
from 2,290 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
34.6
+11%since 2000
from 31.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,707 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2.6M3.2M3.8M4.4M5.0M19902000201020202024Harris County
20244.8M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.8%(330,675)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.3%(351,022)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.3%(354,806)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(343,485)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.8%(327,115)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.4%(745,192)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.6%(704,957)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(600,823)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.6%(513,080)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.4%(357,847)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.3%(157,352)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.1%(51,949)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$74,983
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,598 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,006
+91%since 2000
from $21,435 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.0%
+17.0 ptssince 2009
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.502
+3%since 2010
from 0.488 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade9%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance7.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing2%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$276,600
+80%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,401
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $590 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
54.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 55.3% in 2000
45.3% rent
Vacancy rate
8.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.73 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.84 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
23.7%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
51.2%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.7
+43%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
59
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic42.1%(1,432,264)
Black18.2%(619,694)
Hispanic / Latino32.9%(1,119,751)
Asian5.1%(173,026)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic26.6%(1,284,914)
Black18.6%(900,450)
Hispanic / Latino44%(2,126,581)
Asian7.3%(351,368)
Other3.6%(174,990)
Diversity Score
87
+2%since 2009
from 85 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
49
−5%since 2020
from 51 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican29.7%(1,435,623)
Central American7.7%(374,605)
Salvadoran3.6%(175,990)
Honduran2.4%(115,984)
South American2.3%(113,368)
Guatemalan1.2%(60,165)
Cuban1.2%(57,148)
Venezuelan0.9%(41,952)
Puerto Rican0.8%(38,757)
Colombian0.8%(38,123)
Spaniard0.3%(16,093)
Nicaraguan0.3%(15,567)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(11,959)
Peruvian0.2%(11,187)
Ecuadorian0.2%(7,738)
Argentine0.1%(6,939)
Panamanian0.1%(3,765)
Chilean0.1%(3,173)
Costa Rican0%(1,924)
Bolivian0%(1,849)
Uruguayan0%(1,254)
Paraguayan0%(762)
Asian origin
Vietnamese2.2%(107,030)
Asian Indian1.5%(73,518)
Chinese1.2%(56,337)
Filipino0.7%(33,464)
Pakistani0.5%(22,548)
Korean0.3%(13,085)
Japanese0.1%(5,353)
Kazakh0.1%(5,094)
Taiwanese0.1%(4,485)
Cambodian0.1%(3,848)
Bangladeshi0.1%(3,393)
Thai0.1%(2,758)
+ 12 more asian origin groups with data
Nepalese0.1%(2,719)
Sri Lankan0%(2,357)
Laotian0%(2,317)
Indonesian0%(2,007)
Burmese0%(1,915)
Malaysian0%(344)
Uzbek0%(332)
Bhutanese0%(129)
Hmong0%(106)
Mien0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(3,816)
Chamorro0%(2,253)
Samoan0%(1,304)
Guamanian0%(132)
Fijian0%(113)
Chuukese0%(75)
Tongan0%(73)
Ancestry
English5.7%(277,010)
German5.7%(276,866)
Irish4%(195,678)
American3.2%(153,934)
Subsaharan African2.1%(103,015)
Italian1.8%(85,847)
French1.4%(66,717)
Scottish0.9%(45,345)
Polish0.9%(42,092)
Arab0.8%(40,801)
Nigerian0.8%(40,440)
West Indian0.7%(32,071)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.5%(24,032)
Czech0.5%(23,233)
Dutch0.4%(19,516)
Swedish0.4%(17,526)
Norwegian0.4%(16,990)
British0.3%(15,334)
Russian0.3%(14,002)
Jamaican0.3%(12,580)
Iranian0.3%(12,375)
Welsh0.2%(11,943)
French Canadian0.2%(9,770)
Greek0.2%(8,233)
Lebanese0.2%(8,161)
Portuguese0.1%(7,170)
Danish0.1%(6,844)
Egyptian0.1%(6,184)
Ethiopian0.1%(5,789)
Haitian0.1%(5,676)
Brazilian0.1%(5,502)
Ukrainian0.1%(5,478)
Canadian0.1%(5,037)
Hungarian0.1%(4,997)
Austrian0.1%(4,966)
Palestinian0.1%(4,948)
Iraqi0.1%(4,877)
Swiss0.1%(4,444)
Turkish0.1%(3,459)
Romanian0.1%(3,392)
Jordanian0.1%(2,858)
Syrian0.1%(2,760)
Lithuanian0.1%(2,623)
Kenyan0.1%(2,558)
Slovak0%(2,412)
Croatian0%(2,404)
Ghanaian0%(2,262)
Serbian0%(2,149)
Finnish0%(2,034)
Moroccan0%(1,911)
Armenian0%(1,712)
Israeli0%(1,707)
Belgian0%(1,524)
Australian0%(1,356)
Slovene0%(1,063)
Guyanese0%(972)
Macedonian0%(635)
Bulgarian0%(496)
Barbadian0%(372)
Latvian0%(355)
Somali0%(211)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
34.2%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 26.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
82.5%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 74.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.1%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.0 min
+48%since 2000
from 19.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.3%
−6.7 ptssince 2009
from 77.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.7%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.9%
+9.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
67.4%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 68.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.4%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Female
50.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Foreign born
26.8%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.0%
+2.0 ptssince 2012
from 9.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
20.9%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 26.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.1%
+13.7 ptssince 2017
from 78.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.7%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 93.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
55.0%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 56.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
35.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 34.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40.4%(758,989)
Married49.9%(936,843)
Widowed2%(36,851)
Divorced7.7%(144,823)
Women 15+
Never married35.9%(690,373)
Married46.8%(900,476)
Widowed6.5%(125,076)
Divorced10.8%(208,369)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
20.9%
−5.3 ptssince 2013
from 26.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 48.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 11.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
57.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 57.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)33.3%(50,487)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.5%(37,124)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27%(40,991)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.4%(5,235)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(1,270)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 151,833 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Harris County

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Pop 5,194,625
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Pop 4,689,558
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Pop 2,802,029
Dallas County
Pop 2,661,397
Places similar to Harris County
Head to head

Compare Harris County to nearby counties

HARRIS COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income$97,701+30%
Home value$346,200+25%
Population781,194−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARRIS COUNTY VS
Fort Bend County
Income$114,041+52%
Home value$374,500+35%
Population975,191−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARRIS COUNTY VS
Waller County
Income$80,397+7%
Home value$318,700+15%
Population69,858−99%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARRIS COUNTY VS
Liberty County
Income$68,703−8%
Home value$181,700−34%
Population121,364−98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Harris County, Texas?

Harris County, Texas has about 4,838,303 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Harris County, Texas?

The typical household in Harris County, Texas earns about $74,983 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Harris County, Texas expensive?

In Harris County, Texas, the median home is worth about $276,600, and the typical rent is about $1,401 a month.

How educated are people in Harris County, Texas?

About 34.2% of adults age 25 and over in Harris County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Harris County, Texas?

About 16.3% of people in Harris County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Harris County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Harris County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,020,104 residents, a change of about 72 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →