Issues

What's keeping Harris County housing unaffordable? These 4 charts and maps offer clues.

Many Harris County homeowners and renters continue to struggle with high housing costs, even as home sale prices plateau.

Harris County records biggest shift toward renting, away from homeownership in a decade

About 19,000 fewer Harris County households lived in a home they owned in 2024, while nearly 30,000 more households opted to rent, according to the Kinder Institute's 2026 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report.

Webinar: 2026 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This year’s State of Housing report takes a deeper look at affordability — going beyond home prices to examine rental and ownership trends, demographic shifts and rising insurance costs. Experts will unpack key findings and their implications.

New FEMA map would add 200 square miles, 115K housing units to Harris County floodplains

A Kinder Institute analysis illustrates the scope of proposed changes to Harris County’s floodplain map.

Algebra Course Sequencing and Student Outcomes in Pasadena ISD

Students in Pasadena ISD’s new Algebra I-Algebra II-Geometry sequence saw modest improvements in academic performance and college-readiness, though participation was uneven.

‘We feel validated’: How Pasadena ISD’s new approach to bilingual instruction is paying off for students

Pasadena ISD students made greater academic gains with more class time in Spanish, a Kinder Institute analysis shows.

Tight-knit neighbors, better lives: How strong community ties can help Houstonians feel healthier, safer

New Kinder Institute research finds local residents living in neighborhoods with strong relationships and shared values have a higher probability of good health and feeling safe at home.

Fewer babies, migrating families: The demographic trends reshaping Houston’s public schools

A new Kinder Institute analysis provides fresh perspective on how birth and household movement trends are impacting school enrollment across Houston.

Preparing for Future Enrollment in Public School Districts: Population Change, Births, and Mobility in the Houston MSA

This brief studies demographic shifts in Houston-area school districts to help forecast student enrollment.

Houston’s population keeps growing, but new Census data reveals notable shifts

While the metro area's population continues to climb, particularly in the suburbs, domestic migration patterns are changing how growth is distributed.

Changes in Attitudes and Personal Impacts of Mass Deportation

An estimated 750,000 Houston-area residents know someone detained and possibly deported in 2025.

800 school districts, $1 billion paid: How Texas’ teacher pay-for-performance has rapidly grown

About two-thirds of Texas school districts have now joined the Teacher Incentive Allotment, including nearly all in Houston.

Texas school vouchers promise choice. Geography may influence who has options in Houston.

While some Houston families live near private schools accepting vouchers, others reside miles from the nearest campus.

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.

Are corporate buyers hogging single-family homes in Harris County? Here’s what the data shows.

A Kinder Institute analysis shows nine large companies own about 1% of single-family homes in Harris County.