BellaireDate, 2005
Bellaire’s story
118 years in pictures
Census counts: 390 in 1930, 17,202 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 4 maps from 1915 on.
- 1908Bellaire is founded
Photo: WhisperToMe · Public domain
Population
17,434
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$1.18M
+4% in a year
Household income
$244K
median
Median age
43.1
years
Jobs based here
14,497
A job hub
TownGrade
C
#297 of 640 in TX
What should you know before moving to Bellaire?
Bellaire ranks 297th of 640 in Texas, with a C overall. That leaves it better than 32% of U.S. towns. Its weakest is cost of living (D−): the typical home is worth about $1.2 million, 14.4 years of the Houston metro’s $82K median household income. Health is its strong suit (A+). Bellaire's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 90% of U.S. towns. 83% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in the town, above both Texas’ towns (23%) and U.S. towns (29%). On hazard risk, just 3 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do worse. Only 40 of Texas’ 990 towns score higher on incomes.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
What makes Bellaire stand out
Where Bellaire beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
31 measures vs. Texas
26 better3 too close to call2 worse
| Widest gap | Bellaire | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.1% | 19.1% |
HealthA+
Healthier than 99% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here14,497
Residents who work7,771
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Inland flooding and hurricanes at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A job hub
Every workday, about 14,111 people come to Bellaire for work
Where Bellaire’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
14,497jobs based in Bellaire
5%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Bellaire grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Bellaire is from typical.
HealthAmong the healthiest U.S. towns; Texas Orthopedic Hospital 3.1 miles awayA+Open →Jobs & incomeAmong the best of the towns comparedA+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnD−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.7 of 20; 2.5% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →SchoolsSchools trail most of those comparedC−Open →SafetyBehind most towns comparedCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landB−Open →History3 notable people born hereD−Open →Civic life4.6 library visits per resident; 9.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Housing market27 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.1; 84% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 63 attractions →Reliant Stadium and 46 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bellaire. Close and well known come first.
Big draw3 mi Stadium & arenaReliant Stadium
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaDaikin Park
5 mi MuseumRothko Chapel
7 mi Stadium & arenaToyota Center
7 mi Stadium & arenaShell Energy Stadium
7 mi Stadium & arenaTDECU StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Reliant Stadium: User eschipul on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Daikin Park: Delaywaves, CC BY 3.0 · Rothko Chapel: Unknown, Public domain · Toyota Center: Ed Uthman from Houston, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Shell Energy Stadium: HDFC PR, CC BY-SA 4.0 · TDECU Stadium: Brian Reading, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bellaire: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bellaire, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Texas13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Bellaire water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHarris County Early Voting ClerkHarris County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2026
ZIP code7740177401 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bellaire.
Bellaire draws workers from Houston and beyond and has less no health insurance than most of Texas, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Texas (mostly inland flooding).
HousingCost of living grade D−
The median rent in Bellaire is higher than in the typical Texas or U.S. town
At 14.4 years of the Houston metro’s $82K median household income, the typical home (about $1.18M) costs more against local pay than in 99% of Texas towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. Values rose 4% in the past year while the Texas typical home fell 1.5%.
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4%. For households in Bellaire, the share who own their home is 88%. Homes sold in Bellaire spent a median 27 days on the market.
$1.18MZillow home value
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,672 a month | $1,206 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 88% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bellaire$1.18M
Texas$296K
Market temperature
27
days on market
100.1%
sale-to-list price
+4%
value change, 1 year
23
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC−
On state tests, Bellaire’s schools trail 77% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Houston ISD. Below: Three of its 9 schools, each with why it was picked. The 4 public schools in Bellaire teach 3,504 students between them.
23%of TX districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin Oak MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,253 | A |
| Bellaire H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 3,216 | A− |
| Horn ElTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 750 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthA+
Bellaire stands out in Texas and nationally, with fewer of its adults who get no exercise outside work
Its widest gap with Texas is no health insurance: 6.1% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 19.1% statewide. Against the 477 U.S. towns with household incomes like Bellaire’s, it is healthier than 67%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
In Bellaire, 6.5% of adults worry about having enough food. Among 641 Texas towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Bellaire. The town does better than the Texas average on 26 of 31 CDC measures and worse on 2.
99%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 18% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.3% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 30% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 24% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Texas
26 better3 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Bellaire | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.1% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.5% | 19.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.4% | 6.1% |
Texas Orthopedic Hospital
3.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
99th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
About two in three of Bellaire’s working residents commute to Houston
14,497 jobs are based in Bellaire, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 25.3% of workers work from home, against 14.4% across Texas.
Just 5% of Bellaire’s working residents have a job in town. Employers in Bellaire added 2,079 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 14,497. The median household income in the town is $244,000. The top destinations are Houston (69%), Sugar Land (2%) and Austin (1%).
5%work in town
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $244,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 25% | 9.6% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.4% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bellaire5%
Houston69%
Sugar Land2%
Austin1%
Galveston1%
6 mi
median commute distance
14,497
jobs based in Bellaire
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Natural hazards: very high risk in Bellaire, mostly inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 100% of Texas towns, with expected losses of about $1,429 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on. 2,813 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 235 properties have flooded more than once.
FEMA puts 77% of Bellaire’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 12% to hurricanes. In Bellaire, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 93 of 100. The town has had 2,813 paid flood insurance claims since 1979.
93risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
2,813
paid flood claims since 1979
12
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB−
Protected land: 2.7% of Bellaire
There are 1.4 miles of trail across 10 parks and preserves. Bellaire’s trail network density comes in at 0.4 miles per square mile.
#226for trails in TX
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.7%
conserved · 62 of 2,297 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Evelyn’s Park | 0.6 mi | 5 |
| 2. Russ Pitman Park | 0.5 mi | 5 |
| 3. Bellaire Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyC
Crime per resident in Bellaire is higher than in 73% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes rose from 397 to 480 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Bellaire’s property offense rate stands at 26.1 per 1,000 residents. For Bellaire, the rate of reported violence is 1.4 per 1,000 residents.
27%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 26.1 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bellaire1.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bellaire26.1
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
27th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
31st
percentile among TX towns
24
violent crimes reported in 2025
456
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is Bellaire’s year
January nights average 44.1°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 93.5°.
The July high for Bellaire comes to 94°F. Snow is a rarity.
94°summer high
| Bellaire | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 44°F | 37°F | 22°F |
| July high | 94°F | 95°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter46–66°
Spring60–80°
Summer74–93°
Fall61–82°
Dec 25
typical first frost
Feb 2
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bellaire
20pages on Bellaire
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 77% of TX districts · 9 schoolsSafetyC1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than TX on 26 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$1.18M typical home · up 4% in a yearWork & commuteA+$244K median household income · 14,497 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 93% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
18 within 15 miles of the center of Bellaire
Houston Christian UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Houston3.4 mi$39,430 tuitionThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonUniversity or college · Public · Houston3.5 miRice UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Houston3.7 mi$64,144 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Bellaire residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
Famous people from Bellaire
3 notable people were born in Bellaire.
About Bellaire
Enclave city in Texas, United States
Bellaire is a city in southwestern Harris County, Texas, United States, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, Bellaire had a population of 17,202. It is surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place. Bellaire is known as the "City of Homes", owing to its mostly residential character; but it has offices along the I-610 Loop within the city limits. Bellaire has two public elementary schools, one public middle school, one public high school, and one public library in the city limits, as well as three private K-12 schools. The municipality also has a bus transit center and multiple public bus routes; formerly it was on a streetcar line.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1918
- Area
- 3.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 43 ft
- ZIP code
- 77401, 77402
Questions about Bellaire
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bellaire, TX a good place to live?
Bellaire grades C overall, better than 32% of U.S. towns and #297 of 640 in Texas. It grades A+ for health, C for safety and C− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Bellaire, TX expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
What is Bellaire, TX known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Jon Bass and Bubba Crosby.