Social and Economic Disparity

Houston’s economy is ticking along. Residents are worried it’s slipping away.

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2026 Results

Residents are concerned about job prospects, mounting financial pressures and environmental hazards. This report also examines how social cohesion is related to resident well-being.

Anti-Asian discrimination persists in Houston, survey data shows

A Kinder Institute survey found 40% of Houston-area Asian residents had recently been victims or known victims of discrimination.

An average life expectancy of 80? This Rice researcher says a ‘universal basic neighborhood’ can make it happen.

Kinder Institute co-founder Michael Emerson argues minimum neighborhood standards can boost life expectancy.

‘Set up for failure’: Houston residents take expensive payday loans at sky-high rates, survey finds

Left in the cold: These Houston residents report lack of safe, reliable heating in winter

Early results from a Kinder Institute survey show 12% of Harris County residents don’t have safe, reliable heat at home.

Houston’s poorest neighborhoods are still drowning in illegally dumped trash — even after federal intervention

Federal oversight brought more eyes and dollars to Houston’s persistent illegal dumping problem, but city data suggests trash continues to pile up across the city.

A decade of stagnation: New data reveals Houston’s trouble getting some youth into school, workforce

How can Houston help more locals climb the income ladder? 3 economic mobility experts offer their take.

The region's first Economic Mobility Summit spurred conversation and ideas for helping more Houstonians improve their long-term earnings outlook.

What’s Texas State Technical College? A look at the school behind Proposition 1 on voters’ ballots.

Congress’ debate over ‘Obamacare’ subsidies stands to impact 1 million Houstonians

For more than 1 million Houstonians benefiting from Affordable Care Act subsidies, the argument in Washington over continuing the support hits close to home.

Hurricane Beryl remains a disruptive force for some Harris County residents, survey shows

YMCA CEO: We’re working to tackle loneliness — and want more Houston leaders to join us

With data to guide us and dialogue to unite us, Houston can become a city known not just for its diversity and growth, but for its connectedness.

Getting Back to Normal After Extreme Weather: Houston-Area Residents’ Recovery Following Hurricane Beryl and Other Major Storms of 2024

This study examines the short- and long-term recovery of Houston-area residents following Hurricane Beryl and other severe weather events occuring between April and July 2024.

How researching with mothers — not just about them — can produce better solutions

Houston faces significant maternal health challenges, but the best solutions often come from the people dealing with them every day.