Houston County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Houston County, Texas had an estimated 22,197 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,078, across 1,231 square miles. County output reached $1.32 bn in 2024, 360 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $9.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Houston County
How many people live in Houston County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,051
- Households7,983
- Average household size2.76
- Median household income$56,531
- Median age43.7
- Median gross rent$887 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$164,900
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,314
- Population under 184,479
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over4,898
- Share 65 and over22.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6412,674
- Civilian labor force8,075
- Unemployment rate6.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over46.0 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties110th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1771st of 3,222
Houston County is the 110th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.2 percent against 20.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Houston County
Is Houston County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202422,197
- Census 2020 base population22,078
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.54 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024115
- Births, 2024261
- Deaths, 2024319
- Natural change, 2024-58
- Net domestic migration, 2024133
- Net international migration, 202441
- Total net migration, 2024174
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024510
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1637th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.54 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Houston County
Where are people moving to Houston County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving573
- People arriving, from those returns1,105
- Tax returns filed by households leaving486
- Net household movement87
- Adjusted gross income arriving$40.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$22.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,743
- Average income of a leaving household$35,650
- Largest single originHarris County (79 households)
- Largest single destinationAnderson County (69 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 79 | 164 | $5.3 m |
| Montgomery County | 48 | 90 | $4.8 m |
| Anderson County | 41 | 74 | $1.5 m |
| Walker County | 36 | 61 | $1.3 m |
| Angelina County | 22 | 46 | $803,000 |
| Trinity County | 21 | 41 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $34,093 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Harris County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Houston County
What is the Houston County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.32 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.25 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.1 percent
- GDP change over five years39.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes136th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1616th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$60,071
Output grew 6.1 percent in the latest year and 39.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Houston County
Employment by industry in Houston County
- Covered employment, annual average7,622
- Establishments reporting1,024
- Average annual pay$64,764
- Average weekly wage$1,245
- Manufacturing, employment909
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$87,623
- Retail trade, employment768
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,533
- Accommodation and food services, employment679
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,729
- Health care and social assistance, employment659
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,761
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment629
- Wholesale trade, employment398
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 909 | 44 | $87,623 |
| Retail trade | 768 | 97 | $39,533 |
| Accommodation and food services | 679 | 59 | $19,729 |
| Health care and social assistance | 659 | 96 | $50,761 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 629 | 186 | $113,308 |
| Wholesale trade | 398 | 74 | $86,642 |
| Construction | 336 | 76 | $63,857 |
| Other services, except public administration | 280 | 54 | $56,205 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 909 jobs, 11.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Houston County
How many businesses are in Houston County?
- Establishments, all industries360
- Employment at those establishments4,018
- Annual payroll$205.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Houston County
Building permits in Houston County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243
- Declared construction value permitted$826,083
- Single family units authorized3
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$275,361
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Houston County
SBA loans in Houston County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,091,522
- Median 7(a) approval$1,073,700
- Largest single approval$1,870,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)74
- Jobs per approval8.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term300 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer77.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals66.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (7)
- Most active lenderMetro City Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 504 approval$950,000
- Median 504 approval$950,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval3.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved3.2
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$11.7 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Houston County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Houston County
Do SBA loans in Houston County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 1 loan has reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Houston County
SBA lending by place in Houston County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Grapeland, approvals5
- Crockett, approvals4
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Grapeland | 5 | $7,394,700 |
| Crockett | 4 | $2,429,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Houston County
How large is Houston County?
- Land area1,231 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties38th of 254
- Width, east to west47.6 mi
- Height, north to south45.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land18
- Establishments per square mile0.29
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Houston County
Flood risk in Houston County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Houston County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480872
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Houston County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Houston County (community 480872), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Houston County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 83.3 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Houston County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Houston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,051
- Households7,983
- Average household size2.76
- Median household income$56,531
- Median age43.7
Common questions
Houston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Houston County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 22,197 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 22,051, in 7,983 households, ranking 110th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Houston County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.54 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,078, to 22,197 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 261 births against 319 deaths, with net migration of 174. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Houston County?
$56,531. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,900, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $887 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Houston County?
360 establishments, employing 4,018 people with an annual payroll of $205.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Houston County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 909 jobs, 11.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,622 jobs at an average annual pay of $64,764, or $1,245 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Houston County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $9.8 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $1,073,700, plus 2 504 approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Houston County?
3 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $826,083. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Houston County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Houston County come from?
The largest single origin is Harris County, with 79 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,743 against $35,650 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Houston County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Houston County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Houston County
Cities and places in Houston.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Houston County. All 5 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crockett | city | 6,364 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Grapeland | city | 1,595 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lovelady | city | 490 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kennard | city | 270 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Latexo | city | 246 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby