M5 Stuart, 2010
South Houston’s story
118 years in pictures
Census counts: 612 in 1930, 16,153 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 5 maps from 1915 on.
- 1908South Houston is settled
Population
16,407
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$188K
−2.4% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
31.2
years
Jobs based here
3,574
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#603 of 640 in TX
Is South Houston a good place to live?
A tough set of grades. Safety is its weak spot — it reports more crime per resident than 89% of U.S. towns, including 83 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Health is weaker too (D): residents are less healthy than 87% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Homes run about $188K for a typical one, 2.3 times the Houston metro’s $82K median household income. Where it does best is walkability: it is more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns. The overall grade lands at D−, 603rd of 640 in Texas. On that grade it does better than 4% of U.S. towns. South Houston's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 100% of U.S. towns.
Figures: FBI crime data, 2025 · health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave South Houston for work
Where South Houston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,574jobs based in South Houston
4%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How South Houston grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far South Houston is from typical.
SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedDOpen →HealthHCA Houston Healthcare Southeast 2.8 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$53K median household incomeCOpen →SchoolsBehind most towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.6 of 20; 2.6% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landC+Open →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life0.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 93° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$188K typical home, down 2.4% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 31.2; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 61 attractions →Daikin Park and 57 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around South Houston. Close and well known come first.
Big draw10 mi Stadium & arenaDaikin Park
Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaReliant Stadium
10 mi Stadium & arenaToyota Center
11 mi MuseumRothko Chapel
8 mi Stadium & arenaTDECU Stadium
11 mi LandmarkSan Jacinto MonumentSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Daikin Park: Delaywaves, CC BY 3.0 · Reliant Stadium: User eschipul on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Toyota Center: Ed Uthman from Houston, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Rothko Chapel: Unknown, Public domain · TDECU Stadium: Brian Reading, CC BY-SA 4.0 · San Jacinto Monument: Tijuana Brass at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to South Houston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Houston, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Texas13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of South Houston water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerRepublic Waste picks up at the curb for every homeTown 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 code7758777587 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 South Houston.
South Houston has homes that are cheap against local pay and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has poverty well above the Texas rate.
SafetyD
For safety, South Houston earns a D
Reported crimes fell from 505 to 409 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
South Houston’s violent crime rate comes in at 5.1 per 1,000 residents. In South Houston, the property crime rate is 20.2 per 1,000 residents, against 10.7 in Texas’ towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns.
11%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.1 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 20.2 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
South Houston5.1
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
South Houston20.2
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
11th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
8th
percentile among TX towns
83
violent crimes reported in 2025
326
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC
South Houston’s schools rank behind 70% of Texas districts
Two of its 4 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. The largest public high school is South Houston H S, with 2,185 students. Pasadena ISD runs its public schools.
30%of TX districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Houston IntLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 509 | C |
| South Houston H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,185 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthD
For health, South Houston earns a D
In South Houston, 32% of adults say their health is fair or poor, where Texas’ towns sit at 24% and U.S. towns at 19%. 17% of South Houston adults have diabetes. Also worth knowing: the town beats the Texas average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
13%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 20% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 24% | 19% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 74% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Texas
2 better9 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | South Houston | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.2% | 6.1% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 19.2% | 21.6% |
| More uninsured adults | 39.8% | 19.1% |
HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast
2.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
19th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, South Houston earns a B−
At 2.3 years of the Houston metro’s $82K median household income, the typical home (about $188K) costs less against local pay than in 87% of Texas towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. The typical value, about $188K, is 8% below its November 2022 peak.
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home lost 2.4% of its value. The share of households in South Houston who own their home: 55%.
$188KZillow home value
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,212 a month | $1,206 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
South Houston$188K
Texas$296K
−2.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About two in five of South Houston’s working residents commute to Houston
The median commute is under 12 miles. Employers in South Houston shed 418 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 3,574. Commuting out is the norm here: 4% of working residents work locally. 26% of residents live below the poverty line locally.
4%work in town
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In South Houston4%
Houston43%
Pasadena13%
Deer Park2%
Pearland2%
12 mi
median commute distance
3,574
jobs based in South Houston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
South Houston faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
1,042 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 94 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in just over three quarters of U.S. communities. 1,042 flood insurance claims have been paid in South Houston since 1978. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 46% come from inland flooding and 23% from hurricanes.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
1,042
paid flood claims since 1978
12
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in South Houston
January nights average 44.8°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 92.5°.
Snow is almost unheard of. South Houston’s January low stands at 45°F.
93°summer high
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 45°F | 37°F | 22°F |
| July high | 93°F | 95°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter47–65°
Spring61–79°
Summer75–92°
Fall62–81°
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC+
2.2% of South Houston is conserved land
Count the trails in 3 parks and preserves and they come to 0.8 miles. In South Houston, the concentration of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile.
2.2%conserved
| South Houston | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.2% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.2%
conserved · 43 of 1,942 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | 0.1 mi | 9 |
| 2. Cristy Park | — | 9 |
| 3. South Houston City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Houston
20pages on South Houston
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 70% of TX districts · 4 schoolsSafetyD5.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TX on 2 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$188K typical home · down 2.4% in a yearWork & commuteC$53K median household income · 3,574 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
14 within 15 miles of the center of South Houston
Texas Chiropractic College Foundation IncUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Pasadena4.7 miSan Jacinto Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pasadena6.8 mi$2,490 in-state tuitionUniversity of HoustonUniversity or college · Public · Houston8 mi$9,717 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 South Houston residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
South Houston’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with South Houston.
HoustonPasadenaSouth Houston
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Houston | #603 | D− | B− | D | C | D |
| Houston | #606 | D− | C− | D− | C− | C+ |
| Pasadena | #562 | D | C+ | D | C | C− |
Questions about South Houston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Houston, TX a good place to live?
South Houston grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #603 of 640 in Texas. It grades D for health, D for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is South Houston, TX expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.