Hot Bachelor Hall Of Fame

The hottest bachelors and bachelorettes of all time: This Top 5 makes Houston swoon

Like most good ideas, the concept for CultureMap's Most Eligible Bachelors and Bachelorettes got its start in a night of knocking back one too many drinks at a sketchy bar. Blame it on the alcohol buzz plus some eye candy hovering around us — that's how the ongoing feature came into the world.

Little did any of us know that the dating guide, originally slotted as a one-time photo essay, would gain such a loyal following. Two years, eight editions and 92 hunks and fetching gals later, the Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette series is still keeping unattached Houstonians in the know and entertained while they search for their significant others.

Some found a match, others found true love and a select few even got hitched. We had our favorites and and so did you. Below are the five most buzzed about personalities who took a risk and put themselves out there, all in the name of love (or love right now).

Connor Barwin
Who would have guessed that the hunky former Houston Texans linebacker wanted a yoga instructor as his ideal better half? After we published this quirky tidbit, we heard there was a huge spike in yoga teacher program enrollment as ladies everywhere were dying to show the NFL stud their flexible asanas. Downward facing dog, anyone?

Rebecca Spera
Even though the glamorous TV reporter is officially off the market and planning a trip down the aisle, she stole the hearts of men all over town when her profile hit CultureMap. She's received the most clicks of any bachelor/bachelorette to date.

Don Vaughn
The neuroscientist, drummer and fashion model — seriously, is there anything this drop dead gorgeous chap doesn't do? — was featured just as he was named one of Cosmo's Bachelor of the Year. We saw him first. Dibs.

Jake Joseph
The underwear designer made it big after his CultureMap moment. He went on to raise more than $28,000 to fund his intimate apparel company for which he has received several accolades, including "best pair for travel" by Men's Health Magazine. What we all want to know is: Boxers or briefs, Jake?

Lawrence Clayton and Jason Cohen
Inside Edition recently came to town to showcase a select group of Houston hotties including Clayton and Cohen (as well as Vaughn) who were previously selected as CultureMap worthy. We know how to pick them. You're welcome.

CultureMap is celebrating its fifth birthday with a big party on Oct. 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the new JW Marriott Houston Downtown, with a portion of proceeds going to Casa de Esperanza. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online.

Houston most eligible February 2014 Lawrence Clayton

Courtesy photo

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income analysis

Texas families need to make this much money for one parent to stay home

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

With costs to raise a child soaring over $20,000 a year in Texas, some households might decide to have one parent work while the other stays at home to raise their child.

As the cost of raising a child balloons in major cities like Houston, many families are weighing the choice between paying for child care or having one parent stay home full-time.

A recent analysis from SmartAsset determined the minimum income one parent needs to earn to support their partner staying at home to raise one child in all 50 states. In Texas — not just Houston — that amount is just under $75,000.

The study used the MIT Living Wage Calculator to compare the annual living wages needed for a household with two working adults and one child, and a household with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child. The study also calculated how much it would cost to raise a child with two working parents based on factors such as "food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, incremental income taxes and other necessities."

A Texas household with one working parent would need to earn $74,734 a year to support a stay-at-home partner and a child, the report found. If two parents worked in the household, necessitating some additional costs like childcare and transportation, it would require an additional $10,504 in annual income to raise their child.

SmartAsset said the cost to raise a child in Texas in a two-working-parent household adds up to $23,587. Raising a child in Houston, however, is somewhat more affordable. A separate SmartAsset study from June 2025 determined it costs $21,868 to raise a child in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro.

In the report's ranking of states with the highest minimum income needed to support a family with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child, Texas ranked 32nd on the list.

In other states like Massachusetts, where raising a child can cost more than $40,000 a year, the report acknowledges ways families are working to reduce any financial burdens.

"This often includes considerations around who’s going to work in the household, and whether young children will require paid daycare services while parents are occupied," the report said. "With tradeoffs abound, many parents might seek to understand the minimum income needed to keep the family afloat while allowing the other parent to stay home to raise a young child."

The top 10 states with the lowest minimum income threshold to support a three-person family on one income are:

West Virginia – $68,099
Arkansas – $68,141
Mississippi – $70,242
Kentucky – $70,408
North Dakota – $70,949
Oklahoma – $71,718
Ohio – $72,114
South Dakota – $72,218
Alabama – $72,238
Nebraska – $72,966

texas income smartasset family