Houston has a lot to offer, and the growing population shows its demand.
It’s a diverse city with a huge economy that’s home to multiple Fortune 500 companies and small, local businesses. It has a thriving cultural scene that offers something for everyone. So, whether you’ve called Houston home for decades or you’re looking to become the newest Houstonian, here are 7 fun facts about Houston.
Size
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “everything’s bigger in Texas”, but just how much bigger is Houston than other metropolitan cities? At 655 square miles, the City of Houston could contain the cities of New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Miami. Houston is the fourth most populous city in the nation, and that number continues to grow each day!
Diversity
Houston has been known for the variety of cultures, races, religions and ethnicities, and a recent report ranked Houston as the most diverse city in the country. More than 145 different languages are spoken in Houston — the third largest number of languages spoken in a U.S. city behind New York and Los Angeles. In fact, more than a third of Houstonians over the age of five speak a language other than English in their homes.
Medicine
When you think of Houston, life-saving medical treatment might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but you’d be in good hands if an emergency arises.
The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is the largest medical city in the world, seeing more than 10 millions patients each year. Houston is also home to the first successful human heart transplant. Dr. Denton Cooley founded the Texas Heart Institute in 1962, and went on to perform the first heart transplant in the United States in May 1968.
Airport choices
Traveling to Houston has never been easier. As the country’s fourth largest airport system, the Houston Airport System serves over 180 cities worldwide.
Houston has not just one, but two, bustling international airports: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). Both airports have been undergoing major infrastructure and equipment upgrades over the past few years, with an expected completion date of Fall 2022.
Space
Nicknamed Space City, Houston is home to Johnson Space Center, the training base and home for our nation’s astronauts and the site of Mission Control. In fact, it’s long been said “Houston” was the first word uttered from the moon during the famous Apollo 11 mission in 1969. While that’s since been debunked by astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin — “It’s a technicality, but if you want the first words from the moon, they were ‘contact light,”’ — many Houstonians still take their claim to space fame seriously.
Sports
Big sports fan? You’ll be in good company in Houston. Houston has six professional major league teams: the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Dynamo (MLS), Houston Dash (NWSL), and Houston SaberCats (MLR). If you’d rather watch collegiate sports, there are a number of well-loved teams, including football, baseball, basketball and track and field.
Houston Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest livestock and rodeo show in the world. Sometimes referred to as RodeoHouston or HLSR, this 20-day event brings in more than 2.5 million visitors each year. Even if livestock competitions, pig racing, and barbeques aren’t your scene, the event draws some of the world’s biggest recording artists, making it one of the most-anticipated events of the year for Houstonians.
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