Each month the Greater Houston Partnership produces the Houston Economy at a Glance that analyzes various indicators tracking the current status of the city’s economic health. Below is a brief summary of some key findings from the June update. Click the link below to download the full report.
Population Update
Net Gains / Losses
The city of Houston added more than 23,000 residents over the past two years. Of the 100 largest cities in the US, nearly half lost population between 2021-2023. And while gains were modest, they’re sustainable unlike during the Fracking Boom when the city averaged 40,000 new residents per year.
Job Recovery
One of the major drivers for population gains among the nation’s fastest growing cities generally has been fast pandemic job loss recovery. Houston ranks among the top 5 nationally having posted job gains of a145.3% since the height of the pandemic.
Cost Of Living
Another major driver in population growth is cost of living. US metros with the fastest growth tend to have a significantly lower cost of living than cities losing population. The below chart comes from the Council for Community and Economic Research which ranks 264 metros based on housing, utility, food, health care and transportation costs.