Fortune 500 HQs
Metro for new and expanded facilities (Site Selection Magazine)
City of the Future (fDi Intelligence)
Global Cities (fDi Intelligence)
Local or State Income Tax
As a diverse and dynamic metro, Houston offers a well-developed suite of key global industries – including energy, life science, manufacturing, logistics and aerospace. As these industries digitize, Houston is a hotbed of rapid technological development thanks to our access to customers and expertise.
As the Energy Capital of the World, Houston is the headquarters and the intellectual capital for virtually every segment of the energy industry, including an expanded focus on energy tech and low-carbon solutions.
Houston is home to 500 companies and institutions involved in aircraft or space vehicle manufacturing, research and technology or other air transportation support activities.
With its central location within the U.S. and the Americas, Houston is an important industrial base with access to global markets. That access is aided by our world-class infrastructure around two international airports, four deep water seaports, rail and highways.
In recent years, the Houston region has seen one of the largest overall increases in tech talent in the nation. Now Houston is experiencing a surge in innovation incubators and accelerators to help foster new startups in areas such as cleantech and software.
Health care and life sciences are major industry sectors in Houston driven by world-class institutions and professional talent. Houston is home to the largest medical complex in the world, the Texas Medical Center, which provides clinical health care, research and education at its more than 60 institutions.
Houston is home to nearly two-dozen Fortune 500 company headquarters and one of the largest concentrations of U.S. headquarters for global companies. Houston’s success as a top global market for headquarters is driven by its business-friendly climate, population growth and proximity to diverse professional and corporate services talent.
Not only does Houston offer a distinctly business-friendly environment, but it is also the most affordable major metro in the country! It is no surprise that some of the most important corporations in the world are run out of Houston.
Cost of Living: Houston’s living costs are 25.4 percent below the average of the nation’s 20 most populous metropolitan areas, ranking it the third most affordable. Houston’s overall living costs are 4.5 percent below the average for all U.S. metros.
Cost of Housing: Housing costs in Houston are 49.3 percent below the average for the nation’s 20 most populous metro areas and 9.8 percent below the average for all U.S. metros. Excluding the two most expensive housing markets, New York and San Francisco, Houston’s housing costs are 38.8 percent below the major metro average.
Our exceptional quality of life is a key ingredient to our economic success and global competitiveness. Houstonians enjoy the cultural, recreational and entertainment amenities of a big city, but at a cost of living well below the national average.