Houston TX

In Houston, the rent-to-income burden runs around 25% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $64,813 and median rent is $1,361/month. 52% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $277,800 — that's 4.3× the median income. Employment picture: 6.95% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 19.9% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 27 minutes — acceptable. Average high 78.2°F, low 62.7°F. 59 days per year above 90°F. 80.7 inches of annual precipitation. Violent crime: 99.1/100k avg monthly rate (110841 reported); Property crime: 361.9/100k avg monthly rate (404469 reported). Houston was founded in 1836 — that's 190 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 665.9 sq miles at 3,497 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 43 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. Known as: "Space City". Houston has 22 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 59/100 — It Depends.