Early each month, I profile a HouseLens market as part of my Market Closeup series. I think of these posts as a fun chance to show you what's great about the cities where we do business. Click here for a list of the other posts in this series.
Houston, Texas, is one of HouseLens' newest markets, launched in the first quarter of 2014. This Gulf Coast city is one of the largest in the nation, with a metro area of about 6 million people. Read on to learn why people love to live here.
It's hiring. In the past two years, Houston has received top rankings from authorities like Forbes and the U.S. Bureau of Statistics for job creation and career opportunities. Many jobs are in high-paying, fast-growing fields like renewable energy, biotech, and health care. The city also ranks tops for paycheck worth, which translates to a high standard of living for residents.
It's successful. Thanks largely to its status as a long-time center for the energy industry, Houston boasts a strong industrial sector and one of the nation's most important ports. The city is also the top U.S. market for exports and home to the most Fortune 500 headquarters outside New York City.
It's accessible. Aside from its extensive freeway system, Houston is also increasingly bike- and pedestrian-friendly. Thanks to an expanding network of bikeways, the city now has the most bike commuters in Texas, and a network of tunnels and skywalks make it easy and safe for pedestrians to get around downtown. Three major airports serve Houston, and the city is currently enhancing its public transit system.
It's smart. Houston is the site of NASA's Johnson Space Center and the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, both of which sponsor research and innovation in the sciences. Four state universities, three community college systems, and a variety of private educational, research, and policy institutions (including top-tier Rice University) make higher education an important part of Houston's identity.
It's cultured. With year-round professional companies for all the major performing arts, Houston boasts a thriving theater district. The city's Museum District is also vibrant, with major museums dedicated to fine arts, contemporary art, natural science, and the Holocaust. An active Chinatown and Mahatma Gandhi district, along with an extensive sports scene and parks network, round out the opportunities to cultivate both body and mind.
If you live or work in Houston, what do you love about it?
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