There are only 19 prosperous majority-Black ZIP codes in the US. The Houston area is home to two
A shocking 70% of the nation’s 1,036 majority-Black ZIP codes are considered “distressed,” while only 19 — 1.8% — rank as “prosperous,” according to one analysis. Two of those prosperous ZIP codes are in Fort Bend County.
Is Houston still one of the most generous cities in the US?
With a rich history as a philanthropic city, Houston has a reputation as one of the nation’s most charitable metros. However, a recent ranking doesn’t find the city to be quite so generous.
Unflashy but effective ways to slow traffic and save lives
Pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 38% of all roadway deaths in Houston in 2019 — a 3% increase from 2018. Overall, 647 people were killed in fatal crashes in the Houston area in 2019, according to NHTSA data released in December. Prioritizing speed on local roads is the dangerous status quo in the U.S., but many cities are taking action to try and make safety the priority.
Pandemic evictions cost Harris County $100 million and much more
Houston ranks third in the nation for eviction filings since the COVID-19 pandemic began. What can local officials learn from the steps taken by cities such as Austin to help keep residents housed during this unprecedented public health and economic crisis?
How will COVID-19 alter today’s house of tomorrow?
In 2020, many American companies and their employees embraced working from home, and polls show the majority of workers want to continue the arrangement after the pandemic is over. With so many spending much more time at home, what design trends will benefit workers, households and individuals the most?
Here are the 10 most-viewed — and some of the most-engaging — Urban Edge stories of the year, as well as a look at how the Kinder Institute and its researchers are providing the insight needed to solve cities’ equity problems.
Hindsight in 2020: Some of the things that helped us cope
The year in review or the year in the rearview mirror? In 2020, we’ve seen a once-a-century pandemic amplify and exacerbate many of America’s long-existing disparities. We’ve also seen life-affirming kindness, dedication and sacrifice from so many fighting the effects of COVID-19 on a number of fronts. Here are some of the simple things that helped sustain us during the coronavirus crisis.
Buoyed by a suburban shift, the pandemic housing market continues to soar
In the Houston area and affordable metros and small- and mid-size cities across the U.S., sales of single-family homes are on pace to hit record highs. How much of the boom can be attributed to the COVID-19 crisis?
Texas’ largest suburban counties are growing fast, but are they growing less reliably Republican?
In the past three decades, the populations of these counties near Houston, Austin and Dallas have tripled in size, become less white and shifted politically. Here’s a closer look.
A data-driven approach to combating food insecurity worsened by COVID-19
In August, Urban Harvest launched its mobile market to bring healthy and affordable food options to underserved areas with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The nonprofit collaborated with the Kinder Institute’s Houston Community Data Connections to create a data-based decision support tool that helps ensure the mobile market is being dispatched to areas of Houston where residents need it the most.
Rice University
Kraft Hall
6100 Main Street, Suite 305
Houston, TX 77005-1892
