Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $268,485 | $248,418 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.9% | 9.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,348 | $1,338 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.4% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Harris County is about 8% higher than in Texas. Rent is about 1% higher than the Texas average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Harris County, up about 9.9% and 5.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Harris County rose about 48.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $906 to $1,348. Over the same span, rent in Texas rose about 51.9%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.7 yearly household incomes in Harris County.
Buying the median-priced home in Harris County costs roughly 16.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Harris County. The price-to-rent ratio in Texas is about 15.5.
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $268,485 | $248,418 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $73,272 | $76,510 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Harris County rose about 115.4%, while median household income rose about 44.7% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 50.2% | 56.5% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 41.5% | 33.8% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.3% | 9.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2012 | 2011 |
Harris County has a homeownership rate of 50.2%, lower than the Texas average of 56.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.3%, compared with 9.6% in Texas.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.73 people | 2.70 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1988 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Harris County was built around 1988. On average, 2.7 people live in a home with about 5.2 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Harris County, Texas.
What is the median home price in Harris County, Texas?
The median home price in Harris County, Texas is $268,485, higher than the Texas average of $248,418.
What is the average home price in Harris County, Texas?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Harris County, Texas?
The median gross rent in Harris County, Texas is $1,348 per month, higher than the Texas average of $1,338.
What was the median gross rent in Harris County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Harris County, Texas was $1,114 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Harris County, Texas?
The price-to-rent ratio in Harris County, Texas is about 16.6, meaning it would take roughly 16.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Harris County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Harris County, Texas?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Harris County, up about 9.9% and 5.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Harris County, Texas?
50.2% of households in Harris County, Texas own their home, lower than the Texas average of 56.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Harris County, Texas?
The housing vacancy rate in Harris County, Texas is 8.3%, lower than the Texas average of 9.6%.