Insights

Why Harris County voters stayed home in 2024 — and what’s different in 2026

Voter apathy and frustration with politics were the main factors driving lower turnout in Harris County in 2024.

We asked 1,200 LGBTQ+ Houstonians about life in the region. Here’s what they had to say.

The first-of-its-kind survey developed by the Kinder Institute, Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and Montrose Center revealed notable differences in experiences with belonging, health and the workplace.

Houston Salvadorans have deep local roots. A major immigration decision could reshape their lives.

A federal decision on extending immigration protections will impact Houston’s large, established Salvadoran community, along with local neighborhoods and industries.

Fort Bend and Montgomery counties keep growing, even as their fertility rates diverge

On opposite ends of Greater Houston, women in two of the region’s two largest suburban counties are taking different approaches to childbearing.

Houston landlords must now provide air conditioning. Can their renters afford it?

Thousands of renters will soon be entitled to air conditioning, though some may struggle to cover the bill.

Texas is requiring certified teachers in core subjects. Here’s how Houston schools plan to meet the mandate.

Houstonians don’t visit greenspaces very often. Why that could matter for residents’ mental health.

Recent research suggests the mental health benefits of greenspace visits are especially strong in the Houston metro area.

Houston rents are lower than New York City’s. That doesn’t make them more affordable.

Half of Harris County households with children report food insecurity

New Kinder Institute research finds food insecurity among Harris County households with children is nearly triple the national estimate.

Homeowners insurance premiums continue to spike. These Texans pay the biggest price.

Fast-rising homeowners insurance costs are eating into a larger part of virtually all Texans’ budgets — with lower-moderate-income residents particularly feeling the pain.

Congress passed a landmark housing bill. Here’s why the impact on Houston might be minimal.

New federal laws promise to improve housing supply and affordability, but the provisions only scrape the surface of cost issues.

Houston SNAP enrollment down 18%, pantries report increased demand as program eligibility tightens

Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has fallen sharply across the region over the past year, in part due to new federal legislation.

In these Harris County neighborhoods, landlords seek to evict renters at the highest rates

Parts of northern Harris County and southern Houston saw the most eviction filings in 2024, a Kinder Institute analysis shows.

This intensive parent-child education initiative produced big benefits for Texas families. Here’s how.

A new Kinder Institute study finds major benefits for families participating in AVANCE’s Parent-Child Education Program, an initiative designed to support predominantly lower-income and Latino households with children under the age of 4.

Beyond the streets: Estimated 140,000-plus Houston-area adults were temporarily homeless in prior year

A new Kinder Institute survey suggests the scale of housing instability in a given year stretches to 5% of Houston-area residents.