Median owner-occupied home value
$277,800± $3,403 margin of errorEstimated by homeowners; not a current sale price.
Houston, TX housing and neighborhood guide
Home values, rents and population for Houston from the U.S. Census Bureau, with local resources and the questions to ask before you move.
Selling a home? Compare real estate agent interview evidenceThe housing picture
2020–2024 American Community Survey · Houston city, Texas
Median monthly gross rent
$1,361± $8 margin of errorContract rent plus applicable utility and fuel costs.
Population
2,328,253± 196 margin of errorResidents within the Census place boundary.
Housing units
1,040,576± 3,254 margin of errorOccupied and vacant housing units.
Occupied housing units
930,404± 3,659 margin of errorHomes occupied by owners or renters.
Owner-occupied housing units
391,519± 4,830 margin of errorOccupied homes in which the owner lives.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year ↗. Retrieved Sep 28, 2026. Place ID: 4835000. Dollar amounts are in 2024 dollars. Survey estimates describe a period, not a live housing market.
View the Census data tables
2020–2024 ACS five-year estimates. Dollar amounts are in 2024 dollars; published margins of error use a 90% confidence level. These downloadable source tables cover all Census geographies.
Explore Houston, one address at a time.
Local resources reviewed .
Start with Houston's development rules, not a zoning label
Houston's Planning and Development page explains that the city has no zoning but still reviews plats and site plans for requirements such as building lines, setbacks and access. Use its development resources to identify the relevant questions before discussing an addition or a neighboring project.
Open local resourceKeep draft Harris County flood maps separate from effective maps
For Houston properties in Harris County, the MAAPnext site offers newer flood-map information and clearly labels its current maps as draft. Use the draft material for awareness alongside the effective FEMA map; the project says drafts cannot be used for insurance or regulatory decisions.
Open local resourceChoosing a real estate agent to sell a home in Houston
Start with evidence that fits your home: the neighborhood, property type, price range, and recent completed sales. Ask each real estate agent for the same information, then compare the dates, definitions, and their personal role. An individual’s results and a team’s results describe different work. Confirm who will handle your listing, showings, and negotiations.
Reviewed .
Use the same questions in each interview
Which homes like mine have you helped sell here?
- Evidence to request
- Dated examples of completed seller-side transactions, with the neighborhood, property type, price range, and the real estate agent’s role.
- How to compare it
- Look for relevant examples within the same area and property type. A city-wide total does not establish experience with your particular home. Ask what the examples leave out.
How recent is that experience?
- Evidence to request
- A clear start and end date for the reported activity, plus whether the results belong to the individual or a team.
- How to compare it
- Compare the same reporting period and scope. Keep recent completed work separate from older career totals, active listings, and transactions still under contract.
Does “sales” mean homes or transaction sides?
- Evidence to request
- The metric’s definition, whether it counts distinct properties or representation sides, and how shared or dual representation is counted.
- How to compare it
- Keep distinct homes and transaction sides separate. Do not add figures until you understand whether the same transaction appears more than once.
What does the reported dollar volume include?
- Evidence to request
- The time period, property types, individual or team scope, and whether the figure uses each full sale price or an allocated share.
- How to compare it
- Compare volume only when the definitions match. Sales volume is not the real estate agent’s income and does not, by itself, tell you how a home like yours will sell.
Who will represent me and do the day-to-day work?
- Evidence to request
- The real estate agent’s license identity, supported brokerage relationship, and a clear description of each team member’s responsibilities.
- How to compare it
- Separate the individual, the team’s marketed name, and the licensed brokerage company. Confirm who will manage preparation, showings, offers, and communication.
Whose experience do these reviews describe?
- Evidence to request
- Links to the original review platforms, review dates, and whether each review or rating concerns this individual or the wider team.
- How to compare it
- Read each platform in its own context. Keep its rating scale and count separate; avoid adding overlapping review counts or blending ratings into a new score.
Bring address-specific questions to the conversation
Ask about Houston development requirements
Houston’s Planning and Development Department explains that the city has no zoning but still reviews plats and site plans for requirements such as building lines, setbacks, and access. If an addition, redevelopment, or nearby project matters to the sale, ask which city records and requirements apply to the address.
Source guidance checked .
Use the current effective flood-map information
FEMA identifies its Map Service Center as the official public source for NFIP flood-hazard information and explains that effective information can be superseded. Ask for the address-specific map, its effective date, and relevant updates rather than relying on an undated screenshot. No individual property’s map has been checked for this guide.
Source guidance checked .
Keep Harris County’s draft maps separate
For Houston properties in Harris County, MAAPnext currently labels its maps Draft. The project says they are informational and cannot be used for insurance or regulatory decisions. Ask the real estate agent to distinguish this draft material from the effective FEMA information and identify which source supports each statement.
Source guidance checked .
Use this checklist to make the interviews comparable; it does not rank real estate agents or establish a property’s condition or flood risk. Missing information remains unknown, not zero. If a claim cannot be supported, record the gap and ask what would resolve it before making your choice.
Questions about Houston
Does Houston's lack of zoning mean there are no development requirements?
Houston's Planning and Development page explains that the city reviews plats and site plans for requirements including building lines, setbacks and access. Use those resources to identify the questions relevant to a proposed project.
Source: houstontx.gov ↗What is the median home value in Houston?
The 2020–2024 ACS estimate for the median value of owner-occupied homes in Houston is $277,800 in 2024 dollars. This describes owner-reported values over a five-year period. For a purchase or sale today, request recent comparable transactions for the specific neighborhood and property type.
What is the median rent in Houston?
The 2020–2024 ACS median monthly gross rent for Houston is $1,361 in 2024 dollars. Gross rent includes contract rent and applicable utility and fuel costs. It is a historical survey estimate, not today's asking rent or a quote for an individual property.
Does this describe a specific neighborhood?
These figures cover Houston city, Texas. City boundaries, ZIP codes, school attendance areas, and named neighborhoods can differ. Use a property's address to check the details that matter to you; a city-wide median will not describe every block or home.
How can I compare Houston with another place?
Use the city comparison to view figures from the same ACS release side by side. Then compare current property choices, your actual commute, and address-specific conditions. Differences between survey estimates can fall within their margins of error; the comparison does not rank which place is best.