Rising costs are making it harder for Houston-area residents to afford housing and build wealth.
Many Houstonians are spending a growing portion of their income on housing, leaving less for other critical needs like food, healthcare and transportation. The seventh annual State of Housing report examines the impact of compounding pressures, offering stakeholders data-driven insights to build a more resilient region.
Key findings
- Harris County saw its largest homeownership decline since 2010, losing about 19,000 owner-occupied households (-1.9%). This coincided with a record loss of about 7,750 Black-homeowner households (-5.4%) in the city of Houston.
- Over half of renters in Houston (52.6%) and Harris County (51.2%) are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on rent. Roughly one-quarter of homeowners in Harris County (24.4%) and Houston (23.9%) are similarly cost-burdened.
- Homeowners’ insurance premiums are increasing faster than home values, jumping 17% in Harris County (to $2,303) and 13% in the city of Houston (to $2,166) in just one year.
- Eviction filings remain elevated and affect neighborhoods at disproportionate rates. The county averaged 1 filing per 10 households in 2024 but exceeded 1 per 5 rental households in some areas, most of which are located beyond Beltway 8.
- The county added over 30,000 multifamily units, outpacing single-family units. Most new construction was in the suburbs or exurbs.
- Roughly 1 in 4 housing units in Houston are located in a floodplain, according to preliminary flood maps released by FEMA.
The State of Housing report and webinar are made possible with lead funding by Wells Fargo. Data from the report is housed in the Kinder Institute's Urban Data Platform.
