Diversity in Houston
Houston is the nation’s demographic future. In racial and ethnic composition, the Houston of today very much resembles the U.S. nearly 60 years hence.
- 42% Anglo
- 33% Hispanic
- 18% Black
- 7% Asian/Other
- 18% Black
Between 1990 and 2000, the population of metropolitan Houston grew more than 25 percent, and Harris County grew by more than 20 percent. Hispanics accounted for more than 60 percent of the net increase in the metropolitan area and more than 80 percent of the increase in Harris County.
While the Hispanic population grew roughly 75 percent between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, Anglo population registered only a modest increase in the region and fell nearly 5 percent in Harris County.
No racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the Houston region's population. Projections from the Texas State Data Center suggest that Hispanics could become a majority of the population in this region in 30 to 40 years. In the meantime, there will continue to be no racial majority, and Hispanics will gradually succeed Anglos as the plurality.
Houston is ranked among the top 10 cities in the U.S. visited by Hispanic-American and Asian-American travelers, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.
Minority-Owned Business in Houston
Though statistics for the Houston metro region are not readily available, the number of minority-owned businesses can be calculated based on the region's share of minority and female populations. Based on Greater Houston Partnership calculations using U.S. Census Bureau data and State of Texas data, Houston has 225,000 women- and minority-owned businesses.
- With 30.25 percent of the state's black population, the Houston region should have 26,857 black-owned businesses.
- With 19.87 percent of the state's Hispanic population, the Houston region should have 63,482 Hispanic-owned businesses.
- With 21.29 percent of the state's female population, the Houston region should have 105,311 women-owned businesses.
Houston ranks 5th in a list of cities with the most Asian-owned firms in the U.S., behind New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Francisco. There are 15,966 Asian-owned firms in Houston, and 1.1 million in the U.S.
Black Enterprise named Houston the No. 4 city in the U.S. for African Americans in 2007, based on 24 quality of life factors.
BET.com ranked Houston as the fifth top city for African-American families in 2004.
The Center for Women's Business ranked Houston as the eighth fastest growing metro area for women-owned businesses in 2004.
Source: Greater Houston Partnership
