77010 Is The Place To Live

The nation's second wealthiest ZIP code is in an unlikely Houston neighborhood

The second wealthiest ZIP code in the nation isn't in River Oaks or one of the Memorial area villages.

Instead, a small area of downtown Houston lays claim to that lofty status, according to a recent study by a real estate blog.

The next time Hollywood is looking for an upscale location for a series, instead of 90210, perhaps they should look to 77010.

Movoto's report shows that residents living in 77010 made an average per capita income of $212,325, based on information pulled from the Census' American Community Survey for 2008 to 2012. That ZIP code area includes Discovery Green and the George R. Brown Convention Center, with boundaries of Highway 59 to the south, Polk Street to the west, Fannin Street to the north and Rusk Street to the east.

We're guessing that the 77010 ZIP scored so high on the tony list because a) not many people live there, and b) those who do live in pricey highrises. The two main residential towers in the area are One Park Place, a rental tower overlooking Discovery Green, and Four Seasons Place, attached to the Four Seasons Hotel, which offers condos for sale with hotel-quality amenities.

The Four Seasons Hotel Houston, located at 1300 Lamar S., converted 64 units in the mid-1980s for short- and long-term leasing or even purchase. CultureMap featured unit 3707 in the tower with private entrance at 1111 Caroline St. it the ongoing On the Market series. Designed by renowned architect William F. Stern, the 4,776-square-foot penthouse on the 30th floor was originally listed at $4.6 million and is still on the market at a reduced price of $3,850,000.

One Park Place, located at 1400 McKinney St. and developed by The Finger Companies, boasts 24-hour, five-star concierge services and a one acre resort-style pool. Occupants also enjoy a private entrance to Phoenicia Specialty Foods and MKT Bar Cafe.

So the next time Hollywood is looking for an upscale location for a series, instead of 90210, perhaps they should look to 77010.

Movoto's ranking of 32,420 ZIP codes reveals the other richest ZIP codes in its top 10 list. These incredibly well-off areas are:

1. 21056, Gibson Island, Md.
2. 77010, Houston
3. 04642, Harborside, Maine
4. 94528, Diablo, Calif.
5. 99510, Anchorage
6. 08248, Strathmere, N.J.
7. 10007, New York
8. 19316, Brandamore, Penn.
9. 02110, Boston
10. 49717, Tuscarora Township, Mich.

The only other Texas city to make it to the top 50 wealthiest ZIP codes is Farnsworth up in the Panhandle, coming it at 31 with an average per capita income of $118,870.

Four Seasons Hotel and tower.

Photo courtesy of Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Four Seasons Hotel and tower.

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rent affordability news

Houstonians need to make nearly $68,000 to afford rent in 2025

Photo courtesy of Dolce Midtown Apartments

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A new rental report from Zillow has revealed Houston renters need to make about 23 percent more money than they did five years ago in order to afford rent in 2025.

Zillow analysts examined the income needed to afford rent in 50 major U.S. metros, and determined rent prices in each city as of April 2025.

The average Houston renter needs to make $67,731 a year to afford living in the city, the report found. To afford rent for a single-family home, the income needed increases even further to $85,017.

Despite Houston's rising rent cost of living, it's still more affordable than many other cities. Nationally, the average income needed for someone to comfortably afford rent comes out to nearly $81,000. The study says that figure has increased nearly 35 percent since 2020.

"Housing costs have surged since pre-pandemic, with rents growing quite a bit faster than wages," said senior Zillow economist Orphe Divounguy. "This often leaves little room for other expenses, making it particularly difficult for those hoping to save for a down payment on a future home. High upfront costs are often overlooked, which can keep renters in their current homes."

Rent prices in Houston averaged $1,693 last month, which is less costly than the national average rent price of $2,024. Additionally, Houstonians are spending about 24 percent of their income on rent, while the typical American spends almost 30 percent of their income on rent.

Renters are also saving hundreds of dollars in comparison to those that own their homes, as a recent SmartAsset study discovered the median monthly housing costs for a Houston homeowner came out to $2,219.

At least we're not living on the East or West Coast, where eight U.S. metros require six-figure incomes to afford rent. Residents in San Jose, California need to make $136,532 a year to afford rent, the highest out of all 50 U.S. cities. Rent prices in San Jose came out to $3,413 in April.

Here's how much money renters need to afford living in other Texas metros, according to Zillow:

Dallas – $71,413
Austin – $68,840
San Antonio – $58,590

zillow housing report rent prices affordability houston