CheckHouston.com: Quick Facts about the Greater Houston Area
Milestones
- Houston was founded on August 30, 1836 by Augustus C. and John K. Allen
- Houston was capital of the Republic of Texas from 1837-1840
- The Great Hurricane of 1900 devastates Galveston
- Oil was found at Spindletop in 1901 putting Houston at the center of the energy industry
- Houston Ship Channel completed in 1914
- Texas Medical Center founded in 1943
- Construction began on (what is today) I-45 in 1947
- Zoning ordinances for Houston were first rejected in 1948
- The Astrodome held its first event in 1965
Demographics
- Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States (by population)
- Harris County is the 3rd largest county in the United States (by population)
- The Houston ratio of male:female is almost exactly 50:50
- Houston is a young city - 39% of the residents are under the age of 25
- The average after-tax income is approximately $53,000
Economy
- Houston's major industries are Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Engineering, Real Estate, Medicine, Biotechnology, Aerospace, and Marine Science
- There is no state or local personal income tax
- Sales Tax is 8.25%
Regions
- Greater Houston is made up of 3 PMSAs (Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas) - Houston, Galveston, and Brazoria
- These 3 PMSAs consist of the following counties: Chambers, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller, Galveston, and Brazoria
- All these counties make up the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria CMSA (Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area)
Geography
- Harris County lies within the 100-year flood plain
- Houston is free of earthquakes