How Does Houston Rank Part 2

Rating and Rankings

Houston #6

Top Graduate Programs for Entrepreneurs - Rice UniversityThe Princeton Review (as reported by Entrepreneur.com) – September 2010  

Total Single Establishment Births - Harris CountySmall Business Administration, Office of Advocacy – May 2010

Most Employed in Science and Engineering Occupations Bureau of Labor Statistics (as reported by the National Science Foundation) – April 2010

Most Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – March 2010

Where the Jobs Are - Fort Bend CountyCNNMoney.com - July 13, 2009

Best U.S. University for Nanotechnology Research and CommercializationSmall Times: Annual University Survey - May 5, 2009

Highest Number of Master's DegreesThe Comparative Guide to American Suburbs 2009/2010 Edition

Top U.S. Real Estate Investment MarketsUrban Land Institute (as reported in the Houston Business Journal) - January 10, 2008

Houston #7

Top U.S. Art CitiesAway.com - 2010

Least Expensive Large U.S. Cities for BusinessKPMG - April 2010

World's Smartest CitiesForbes.com - December 2009

America's Most Visited Museums - Houston Museum of Natural ScienceForbesTraveler.com - March 10, 2009

Houston #8

America's Fastest Recovering CitiesForbes.com - November, 19 2009

Houston #9

Most Livable Bargain MarketsMSN Real Estate - October 2009

Most Affordable Cities for DatingMatch.com - August 18, 2009

Best Zoos for KidsParents.com - April 14, 2009

Houston #10

Inc. 5000 - Top Metro AreasInc. Magazine - August 24, 2010

Green Energy LeadersScientific American- June 2009 

 The World's Most Inventive CitiesBusinessWeek - April 2009

Highest Number of High School Graduates - Cinco RanchThe Comparative Guide to American Suburbs 2009/2010 Edition

Houston "Other"

10 Great Cities for Young AdultsKiplinger.com – July 27, 2010

America's Best Children's Hospitals - Texas Children's HospitalU.S. News and World Report – June 2, 2010

America's Top 10 Underrated CitiesSherman's Travel – May 2010

Top 5 Locations for Logistics Companies - Greenspoint DistrictExpansion Solutions Magazine (as reported by GlobeSt.com) – April 21, 2010

Ten Technology Incubators that are Changing the World - Houston Technology CenterForbes.com - April 16, 2010

America's Safest Cities - Sugar LandCQ Press (as reported in the Houston Business Journal) - November 23, 2009

Great Places in America - MontroseAmerican Planning Association - October 2009

Top Ten Places for Tech JobsUS News and World Report- September 15, 2009

World Capital of the FutureForbes.com- September 2, 2009

Courtesy of the Houston Chamber of Commerce

How Does Houston Rank Part 1

Rating and Rankings

Courtest of The Houston Chamber of Commerce

Houston #1

Best Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program - University of Houston 
The Princeton Review (as reported by Entrepreneur.com) – September 2010

America's Best Airports
Travel + Leisure – July 2010

Largest 5 Year Employment Gain (June 2005 - June 2010)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (as Reported by the Houston Business Journal) – July 28, 2010

Top Cities for Recent College Grads
Bloomberg Businessweek – July 16, 2010

Top Local Government Green Power Purchaser
Environmental Protection Agency - July 6, 2010

The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Award - Legacy Center Business Park and Greenway Plaza
BOMA International – June 17, 2010

Best Cities for Young Professionals
Forbes.com – June 17, 2010

Highest Level of Entrepreneurial Activity Among Largest Metro Areas
Kauffman Foundation of Entrepreneurship – May 2010

Top U.S. Manufacturing Cities
Manufacturers' News – May 21, 2010

Top Destination City
U-Haul International – April 2, 2010

Largest Population Gain - Harris County
U.S. Census Bureau – March 23, 2010

Top Selling Master-Planned Community - Cinco Ranch   
RCLCO– March 22, 2010

Highest Growth Rate in Texas - Atascocita
Bloomberg BusinessWeek and Gadberry Group– January 2010

Texas' Largest Hospital District - Harris County Hospital District
Greater Houston Partnership Research - December 2009

America's Best Airports - George Bush Intercontinental
The Daily Beast - November 2009

Mega Market of the Year
Southern Business Development - August 2009

Highest Quality of Life Among Students - Rice University
Princeton Review (as reported by Rice University) - July 28, 2009

America's Best Hospitals - Cancer, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
U.S News & World Report - July 15, 2009

Lowest Cost of Living Among Major Metro Areas
ACCRA Cost of Living Index - Second Quarter 2009

Best City to Get Ahead
Forbes.com - June 19, 2009

Top Texas Tourist Destination
Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism- May 12, 2009

Most Business Friendly
FDI Magazine - April 2009

Top Metro in the Nation
Site Selection Magazine - March 2009

Best Affordable Suburb in Texas - Friendswood
BusinessWeek- February 2009

Nation's Healthiest Housing Market
Builder and Hanley Wood Market Intelligence - February 2009

Best U.S. City to Earn a Living
Forbes.com - August 18, 2008

Best City to Buy a Home
Forbes.com - July 14, 2008

Best City to Live, Work and Play
Kiplinger's Personal Finance - July 2008

Best City for Your Job
BusinessWeek - June 12, 2008

Best City for Recent College Grads
Forbes.com - June 26, 2008

Largest IT Service Economy
Onforce, Inc. (VoIP Monitor) – December 5, 2008

Most Accessible City for the Disabled
The National Organization on Disability - February 14, 2008

Highest Population Growth in the Nation
U.S. Census Bureau (as reported in the Houston Business Journal) - July 10, 2008

Houston #2

Most Charity Conscious Cities
Charity Navigator - June 1, 2010

Largest Population Gain Among Metro Areas
U.S. Census Bureau - March 23, 2010

Counties with Highest Job Growth - Montgomery
Bureau of Labor Statistics - October 16, 2009 

Nation's Top Export Markets
U.S. Department of Commerce - July 14, 2008

Houston #3

Number of Fortune 500 Headquarters
Fortune Magazine - April 2010

Best Cities for Jobs
Forbes.com - April 20, 2010

Best Housing Markets
Forbes.com - February 2010

Counties with Highest Job Growth - Fort Bend
Bureau of Labor Statistics - October 16, 2009 

Fastest Growing Cities
US Census Bureau  – July 2009

North American Cities of the Future
FDI Magazine – April 2009

Green Jobs
Global Insight – October 2008

Nation's Most Charitable Cities
Charity Navigator's 2008 Metro Market Charitable Analysis Study

Houston #4

Annual Exports
The Brookings Institution – July 2010

Economic Strength
Policom Corporation – May 13, 2010

Where the Recession is Easing
Forbes.com – March 2010

America's Most Generous Cities
Entertainment Publications (as reported by PRNewswire) – December 2009

Best Value in Private Universities - Rice University
Kiplinger – November 2009

Hottest Labor Markets
Bizjournals.com – October 16, 2009

Best Metro Areas to Launch a Small Business
CNN Money - October 2009

Green Space
Smarter Cities - August 2009 

Cities Where Your Nest Egg Goes Farthest
Forbes.com - October 2008

Best Big City for Business
Inc.com - July 2008

Top Ten Up-and-Coming Tech Cities
Forbes.com - March 10, 2008

Top Cities for African Americans
BlackEnterprise.com - September 17, 2007

Best Value in Private Institutions - Rice University
Kiplinger's - February 2009

Houston #5

Top Counties for Job Growth - Fort Bend County
CNN Money - July 12, 2010

Best Places for Young Adults
Portfolio.com - March 2010

Best Performing Cities
Milken Institute- November 2009

Top Markets for Income Growth
BizJournals.com- September 2009

Highest Total Personal Income
Bureau of Economic Analysis - August 6, 2009

America's Best Hospitals - Heart, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
U.S News & World Report - July 15, 2009

Largest Share of National GETUP
Federal Highway Administration; Department of Commerce (as reported in the New York Times) – July 2, 2009

Why Houston?

Since Houston’s founding by two entrepreneurs, the Allen brothers, it has become recognized as one of the best cities in the world to live, work and play. What do you need to know about Houston as you’re making the decision of where to study?

·         We’re the fourth largest city in the United States. Houston is diverse, too. The demographics here are already where the U.S. demographics are projected for 2060.

·         In comparison to the U.S. population, Houston seems a little younger, with about 45 percent of residents between the ages of 25 and 54. The rest (37 percent) is under 25 or 55 and older (18 percent).

·         We have the fourth largest Hispanic population in the country, and we’re the U.S. gateway to Latin America.

·         Houston is the headquarters for 18 Fortune 500 companies and is the energy capital of the world.

·         We’re the #1 U.S. port city and #2 in the nation for consulates. We’re also #5 in the country for financial services.

·         From December 2007 to December 2008, the Houston metro area had the fastest job growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate in January 2009 was 6.5 percent, compared to figures in the double-digits elsewhere (Michigan – 12.5 percent, Oregon – 12.1 percent, South Carolina – 11. 4 percent, California – 11. 2 percent, North Carolina – 10.4 percent).