Houston remains a destination for people relocating from and outside of Texas — particularly its fast-growing, booming suburbs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey released last fall.
Why are people relocating to Houston, Texas? The job market, affordability, culture, and healthcare are the primary reasons.
Relocating to Houston Texas
A Thriving Job Market
Decades ago, Houston was a magnet for oil companies and many of its residents were employed directly or indirectly by the oil industry. Today’s Houston job market is much more diversified. Oil, gas, and petrochemical jobs are abundant, but so are jobs in healthcare, technology, and aerospace. The Texas Medical Center is the world’s largest medical complex and there are growing numbers of biotech startups and other tech companies throughout the region. Researchers predict there could be as many as 300,000 jobs in the energy, life sciences, and aerospace industries by 2027. In a report released in December, the Greater Houston Partnership says the Houston job market is experiencing “steady, sustainable growth.”
Your Dollar Goes Farther
Compared to other large cities, Houston is relatively affordable. Houston’s cost of living is 5.3 percent less than the national average. When you compare large cities, Houston’s cost of living is 23.4 percent less. That means you can enjoy more big city life excitement — food, shopping, entertainment — without the big city price.
Housing is particularly much less in Houston than in other large metropolitan areas — an average of 18.8 percent lower. The average home price in Houston, according to the Greater Houston Partnership is $405,143; in Manhattan, that 2,400-square-foot home would cost more than $2.8 million, and in Miami, it would be more than $710,000. Even our Texas neighbors to the north track higher with a $469,013 average price tag. Average apartment rents tell a similar story. In Houston, the average rent is $1,359 for a 950-square-foot two-bedroom apartment. In Manhattan, you’d pay $5,701, and in Miami, the rent would be $3,402. In Dallas, you’d pay $169 more on average.
Another affordability factor: is no local or state income tax. Texas is one of nine states without income tax; about a third of the states in the nation allow counties and municipalities to impose a local income tax.
Quality Healthcare
No one ever wants to get sick, but it will happen from time to time. Roughhousing on the playground might lead to a broken bone. Babies will be born. Whatever the reason, there’s a good chance you might end up in the hospital or at least the emergency room.
You’re in good hands if you live in the Houston area. There are more than 18,500 licensed physicians in the Houston area, and many of those with primary practices inside the city limits also have satellite offices in the suburbs. Houston has many major healthcare institutions with locations throughout the area:
- CHI St. Luke’s Health
- HCA Houston Healthcare
- Methodist Hospital
- Memorial Hermann
- Texas Children’s Hospital
- Texas Heart Institute
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Several of these institutions are considered the best in the nation, particularly M.D. Anderson, Texas Heart Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital.
Houston Is Fun!
Houston is the nation’s fourth largest city and with that comes a wide mix of things to do and places to eat. The area’s culinary scene is extremely diverse and goes far beyond Tex-Mex and barbecue. You can eat your way around the world in Houston, from authentic Vietnamese to Central Europe to Africa. Beyond restaurants, there are many ethnic grocery stores where you can pick up ingredients to attempt Sabzi Polo (a Persian New Year’s dish) or other exotic dishes at home.
Not only can you eat your way through Houston, but you can shop your way through the region, too. Browse high-end stores at The Galleria. Head to the Historic 19th Street or Old Town Spring for vintage shopping and antiques. There are three outlet malls in Houston for those who like a sale, including Houston Premium Outlets just down the road from The Grand Prairie. You can’t go wrong with the boutiques at M-K-T Heights.
Museums abound throughout Houston, with 21 located in the Houston Museum District. Eleven of them are free. Plus, Houston is one of only a handful of U.S. cities with permanent professional resident companies in theater, ballet, music, and opera. If you’d rather watch professional sports than “Madame Butterfly,” you can pick from football, basketball, baseball, and soccer.
Benefits of Living in Hockley
If you’d rather visit the city than live in the city, Hockley is a good choice. You have access to all the fun listed above, plus lots of interesting restaurants both mom-and-pop and big-box shopping, and plenty of employment opportunities nearby. Memorial Hermann and Houston Methodist each have facilities in the area. If you work downtown, you can skip the driving and take advantage of Houston METRO’s Park & Ride system. Perhaps the best benefit of living in Hockley is, after a day of fun or work in Houston, you can return to the wide-open living you’ll find at The Grand Prairie. Homes here are priced from the mid $200,000s to more than $600,000. See our available homes.
