County strategy, national tolerance model, #4 tech city, sky race, population
Passing along the smaller items again:- Harris County recently completed a Economic Development Strategic Plan (report, Chronicle article - hat tip to Gonzalo). The Executive Summary breaks it down by each of the four county precincts. The Chronicle pretty much summed it up in one paragraph, although there's plenty more detail if you want to dig in:
"Harris County enjoys diversity, low cost of living and exceptional medical facilities, but must overcome education and transportation deficiencies to attract more businesses and qualified workers, according to a study released today."
I may post on this again in the future if I get time to read the whole report.
- Houston is a national model for tolerance, according to Jill Carroll, executive director of Rice University's Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance, based on a low and declining hate crime rate:
"...she suggests that being "spread out" and not getting "in each other's way" contributes to the climate of tolerance.
Others say the dramatic cultural and demographic change that has occurred in Houston in the last two decades has created -- even demanded -- a climate of tolerance throughout the city. Houston is no longer a traditional "Southern city dominated by white men" but is a culturally, religiously, racially diverse city in which no one group holds a majority.
In other words, everyone is a "minority."
I like this about Houston, and it's a big reason I'm so proud to live in this city."
- NASA in Houston will be one of 16 stops for the World Sky Race (hat tip to Jessie), which is kinda cool.
"The World Sky Race will be a series of sixteen races for lighter-than-air craft that will compete for the fastest time around the world for their class of craft. Starting the race series at the Greenwich Prime Meridian in London, the World Sky Race will include stops at the Roman Coliseum, the Great Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, Golden Gate Bridge and NASA Johnson Space Center."
More here in the Houston press release or HAIF discussion.
- Forbes Magazine ranks Houston as “Top 5 Up & Coming” Tech City in U.S. (hat tip to everybody who emailed this to me). The Forbes rankings were based on looking at specific areas of science that most experts consider today's most promising frontiers of innovation. The research looked at the number of the most valuable patents filed in each technical area for each city.
The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) gained 912,694 residents between the 2000 census and July 1, 2007, an increase of 19.4 percent, according to population estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. That gain puts the total population of the 10-county region at 5,628,101, ranking sixth among U.S. metropolitan areas. Were the Houston MSA a state, it would rank 19th, having surpassed both Wisconsin and Maryland in the past year.
Harris County, the nation's third most populous county, gained 535,277 people, up 15.7 percent from the census. Fort Bend County, up 43.8 percent, and Montgomery County, up 40.5 percent, were respectively the seventh and 11th fastest growing among the nation's 247 counties with populations greater than 250,000. Among all counties nationwide, Harris County's increase was second only to 808,032 in Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix). If recent trends continue (given the housing crash in Phoenix right now, I kinda doubt it), Maricopa will surpass Harris by the 2010 census.
From mid-'06 to mid-'07, the Houston MSA gained 120,544 residents. (Fans of trivia and quirky numbers, please note: that figure translates almost exactly to one person per square mile per month.) Nearly half of the growth--59,549--was in Harris County. Fort Bend accounted for 24,340, Montgomery gained 19,405, and Brazoria picked up 9,990.
Houston's population growth continues to be composed of roughly one-half natural increase (resident births less resident deaths), one-third international migration and one-sixth domestic migration.
| 2000 Census | | | Percent | |
| July 1, 2007 | Change | Change | ||
| .Austin County | 23,590 | 26,610 | 3,020 | 12.8% |
| .Brazoria County | 241,767 | 294,233 | 52,466 | 21.7% |
| .Chambers County | 26,031 | 28,771 | 2,740 | 10.5% |
| .Fort Bend County | 354,452 | 509,822 | 155,370 | 43.8% |
| .Galveston County | 250,158 | 283,987 | 33,829 | 13.5% |
| .Harris County | 3,400,578 | 3,935,855 | 535,277 | 15.7% |
| .Liberty County | 70,154 | 75,434 | 5,280 | 7.5% |
| .Montgomery County | 293,768 | 412,638 | 118,870 | 40.5% |
| .San Jacinto County | 22,246 | 24,818 | 2,572 | 11.6% |
| .Waller County | 32,663 | 35,933 | 3,270 | 10.0% |
| | | | | |
| Houston MSA | 4,715,407 | 5,628,101 | 912,694 | 19.4% |
| | | | | |
| Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census | ||||
Labels: demographics, economic strategy, growth, identity, rankings
posted by Tory Gattis @ 7:24 PM
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