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Why Houston?

Over the last two decades, there has been a remarkable transformation in Houston. Today, the nation’s fourth largest city has become a diverse, vibrant metro filled with talented people who have an undeniable spirit. Our economy is strong, our cultures are many, and our quality of life is second to none. Houston has one of the youngest, fastest-growing and most diverse populations anywhere in the world. One in four of the region’s 7.5 million residents is foreign born. From 2010 to 2018, Houston added 1.1 million new residents, an 18.2 percent increase, the fastest rate of population growth among the 10 most populous U.S. Metros.

A Great Global City

In addition to our diversity as a community, 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.

A thriving international city, Houston’s ties stretch to all corners of the world. The region’s geographic location makes it easy to move both goods and people around the globe. With one of the largest ports in the country and two international airports, Houston connects companies to the world.

4th

Largest U.S. City

1.1 Million

New Residents in Last Decade

$490 Billion

Regional GDP

350,000

Educated Millennials

760+

Expansion and Relocation Projects in Last 2 Years

Explore What Makes Houston Right for You or Your Business

Industries

From energy and life sciences to manufacturing and aerospace, the Houston region offers a dynamic infrastructure to support these growing industries. Learn more about the region's core sectors.

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Economic Development

Houston Day: Bridging Houston and Texas Lawmakers

12/20/24
What does it take to showcase Houston’s extraordinary contribut...
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International Business

Houston is a great global city with business and cultural ties stretching around the world. A number of factors combine to make Houston a hub for foreign trade and a target for foreign investment.

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Membership

2025 Annual Meeting

Mark your calendar for Friday, January 31, 2025, as we kick off the new year with the Greater Houston Partnership’s 2025 Annual Meeting! This signature event brings together business and community leaders from…

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Taxes and Incentives

Texas and the Houston region offer one of the most pro-business tax environments in the nation.

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Explore the Region

The Houston region is made up of 12 unique counties, each offering ideal environments for specific industry sectors.

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Innovation

From NASA Johnson Space Center and the Texas Medical Center to business incubators and accelerators across the region, this is where innovation thrives.

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Talent

Houston offers a highly educated and ever-growing workforce skilled in both traditional and emerging industries.

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Living in Houston

Houston offers a low cost of living while maintaining an incredibly rich quality of life with the amenities you expect to find in a world-class city.

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Houston Submarkets

From the oilfield services companies of the Energy Corridor to the biotech firms of Sugar Land, learn what makes area submarkets ideal for certain industries.

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“Houston has the proximity and accessibility to TMCx, providing a gateway to the facilities and resources of TMC, and is quickly becoming the epicenter for innovation. With access to low cost rent and lab space, top incubators, growing venture funds and proximity to institutions and industries, people and companies around the world are taking notice of Houston.”


Jon Northrup
Chief Executive Officer, Beta Cat

“Lonza is committed to building up our cell-and-gene-therapy capabilities in Pearland, which is a growing center for life sciences. The Houston area, supported by a number of world-class scientific institutions, is an important location for Lonza to continue to develop novel therapies offering the hope of improving the lives of patients all over the world.”


Mark Funk
Chief Operating Officer, Lonza

"Houston has a huge amount of raw ingredients needed to launch a startup -- top tier universities, affordable cost of living, tremendous wealth, large corporations -- so the creation of a startup hub in Houston has just been about aligning all these elements under one roof that provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed."


Lawson Gow
Founder & CEO, The Cannon

Need more information about Houston? Your dedicated team member can help:

  • Facilitate and foster key introductions
  • Assist in evaluating and applying for incentives
  • Identify potential business facilities
Craig Rhodes
Senior Vice President, Economic Development
Economic Development
E
crhodes@houston.org
P
713-844-3609
Looking for the rest of our team?
Partnership Staff
Have someone from our Economic Development Team contact you:
Executive Partners