Houston on Top

Houston just keeps on growing: Population gain is fastest in the nation

Is there a reason for all that Houston traffic? Lots of new people are in town.

It's no wonder that traffic has gotten worse. The Houston metro area has experienced the highest population gain in the nation, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land area attracted 159,083 new residents from July 1, 2014 through July 1, 2015, bringing the total up to 6.6 million. With a 2.4 percent increase last year, Houston joins Austin and Orlando, Florida as the only three U.S. cities to rank in the top 20 for both overall population gain and growth rate.

Texas has added more new residents than any other state in the country, a whopping 490,000 new residents in that time, according to the report released Thursday. Together, the Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas claimed more than 412,000 of those new Texans.

With a 3 percent population increase, Austin-Round Rock was the fastest-growing metro area in the state, and the seventh fastest in the nation. The area added 57,395 new residents — about 157 people per day. The population total is currently estimated at over 2 million, but the Austin region could reach 3 million people in just four short years.

A similar story played out in San Antonio-New Braunfels, which attracted another 51,285 residents. Combined, the Austin-San Antonio area added a total of 108,680 people. This massive influx of Central Texans adds to the speculation that the I-35 corridor could mimic the collision of our neighbors in North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington added 144,704 people from 2014 to 2015. A total population of 7.1 million means the Dallas-Fort Worth complex remains the most populous metro in Texas and fourth largest in the U.S.

Even Texas' tinier towns are seeing phenomenal population expansion. Three small metro areas were among the fastest growing in the nation: Midland (No. 4) and Odessa (No. 5) with a 3.3 percent increase, and College Station-Bryan (No. 15) with 2.6 percent. To give comparison, the No. 1 fastest growing metro area in the country is The Villages (a suburb of Orlando), which experienced a 4.3 percent increase in one year.

As we lead the country in population growth and gain, it seems everyone wants to be a Texan. But Texans also like their wide open spaces, so let's keep encouraging the masses to move to Orlando.

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sustainability minded

World Cup's 14-mile Green Corridor will leave a lasting impact on Houston

Photo by Cindy Torres

Volunteers are making improvments to the Columbia Tap Trail in Third Ward.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee announced new details about the massive Green Corridor project this week, including the many improvements that will outlast the iconic sporting event taking place in Houston later this summer.

The Green Corridor will be a 14-mile long verdant artery connecting multiple major landmarks in Houston through safe, walkable paths that include shade trees and other improvements. First conceived in 2024 by the Sustainability Subcommittee led by Elizabeth Carlson, it will unite East Downtown, Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, and Third Ward through hike and bike trail as well as METRO Rail stops. Though the Green Corridor is beginning its life as a showcase for the city to visitors attending the FIFA World Cup June 14 - July 4, it will remain a permanent installation for Houstonians to travel the city without cars.

Management of the project is being handled by Impact Houston 26, a portion of the Host Committee empowered by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority’s Sports Authority Foundation to promote long-term benefits to the city after the World Cup. Funding partners include private corporations as well as civic organizations such as the City of Sugar Land and Rice University.

“The Green Corridor reflects what Impact Houston 26 is all about, using the FIFA World Cup as a catalyst to deliver lasting environmental benefits for our city,” Carlson said in a statement. “Through Impact Houston’s pillar on sustainability, we’re able to collaborate with local stakeholders to create not just demonstrations of resilience and innovation but education and engagement in the community, a meaningful legacy long after 2026.”

The corridor will provide access to both Houston Stadium (also known as NRG Stadium) and the FIFA Fan Festival, as well as improve existing paths like the Columbia Tap Trail in Third Ward. These improvements include the installation of shade structures, native plantings, expanding the tree canopy, air quality monitoring devices, and water and bike repair stations.

Impact Houston 26 is also working with local institutions like the Houston Zoo, Greentown Labs, and Discovery Green to install various educational materials along the Green Corridor. More information about this will be published later in the Spring.

Below is a breakdown of other improvements planned or completed as part of the Green Corridor.

Downtown Houston Main Street Promenade: Four permanent shade structures, native plants, and expanding the tree canopy by 154% to be implemented by May 2026. Further shade structures and plantings planned for Texas Avenue.
East Downtown Management District: Native tree plantings and landscaping in and around the FIFA Fan Festival site to improve first/last mile connectivity around the Green Corridor.
Columbia Tap Trail: Installation of 325 solar lights.
Stadium Park/Astrodome and TMC/Dryden plus Fannin South Transit Center: Various landscaping and safety enhancements.
Midtown Houston: $1.5 million in landscaping and beautification along the Red Line, including over 80 trees, native plantings, water stations, waste receptacles, crosswalk improvements, and public art installations.

The Green Corridor is only one of the World Cup Host Committee's sustainability initiatives. In January, it announced the "New Year, New Hou" program that certifies hospitality businesses such as restaurants and hotels with one of three certifications.

Houston will host seven matches from June 14 - July 4, including teams from Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

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