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).