In South Houston, a typical home is worth $189,300 and typical rent is $1,212 a month. Compared with all of Harris County, the typical home value is 32% lower and typical household income is 29% lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $168,335 to $187,832.
From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
South Houston is in Harris County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Harris County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Galena Park, the typical home value is $117,700: 38% less than in South Houston ($189,300).
2
The typical home in South Houston is worth $189,300,32% less than in Harris County as a whole ($276,600).
3
The typical household income in South Houston is $53,497,29% less than in Harris County as a whole ($74,983).
4
12% of households in South Houston have no internet at home (6% in Harris County).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in South Houston
What homes there are in South Houston, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Kind of home: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Detached house
69%
57%
64%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
4%
3%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
7%
5%
5%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
14%
32%
21%
19%
Mobile home
8%
3%
6%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
In South Houston, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Harris County, 6.
Mobile homes are 8% of homes in South Houston, more than in Harris County (3%).
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or later
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Year built: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Before 1960
28%
12%
12%
26%
1960–1979
41%
25%
21%
24%
1980–1999
16%
27%
28%
25%
2000–2009
8%
18%
18%
14%
2010 or later
7%
19%
21%
11%
Homes in South Houston are older: the typical year built is 1969; in Harris County, 1988.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100K22%
$100K–$200K33%
$200K–$300K31%
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750KUnreliable
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Under $100K
22%
$100K–$200K
33%
$200K–$300K
31%
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
Unreliable estimate
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99921%
$1,000–$1,49948%
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
21%
$1,000–$1,499
48%
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$1,686 a month
Harris County: $2,155 a month
Without a mortgage
$513 a month
Harris County: $744 a month
Owners with a mortgage
38%
Harris County: 57%
In South Houston, 38% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,686 a month, against $2,155 in Harris County. Without one it drops to $513.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
South Houston+100%
Harris County+57%
Texas+65%
United States+53%
Typical rent
South Houston+41%
Harris County+30%
Texas+34%
United States+33%
Typical household income
South Houston+17%
Harris County+22%
Texas+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Typical home value
+100%
+57%
+65%
+53%
Typical rent
+41%
+30%
+34%
+33%
Typical household income
+17%
+22%
+27%
+29%
From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in South Houston rose 100%; in Harris County, it rose 57%.
Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in South Houston rose 41%, more than in Harris County (30%).
Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 17%, while home values changed +100% and rent +41%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: South Houston and its comparisons
Measure
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
9.3%
7.7%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.2%
1.1%
0.9%
More than one person per room
11.1%
6.6%
4.8%
3.4%
People per household
3.21
2.73
2.69
2.53
Drive alone
75%
70%
71%
69%
Carpool
17%
11%
10%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
2%
1%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
2%
2%
3%
Work from home
Unreliable estimate
13%
14%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
2%
2%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
More than one person per room: that is how 11.1% of households in South Houston live, more than in Harris County (6.6%).
Households in South Houston are bigger: 3.21 people on average; in Harris County, 2.73.
More people carpool to work in South Houston than in Harris County: 17% against 11%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in South Houston?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in South Houston, worth $189,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 37% of the typical household income in South Houston, which is $53,497 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $69,789 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Harris County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in South Houston. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $6,626 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$1,628
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$185,871
Total interest
$267,424
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $3,197 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $1,248 a month
Tight
$1,248 to $1,605 a month
Hard
more than $1,605 a month
Your payment · 37%
Compared with the typical household income in South Houston ($53,497 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$1,259
Property tax
$207
Home insurance
$79
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$84
You need at least $6,626 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $1,628; principal and interest $1,259.
The city and its county
South Houston and Harris County
South Houston is in Harris County, Texas. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
South Houston
Map of Harris County, Texas, with South Houston marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
South Houston
Harris County
Other cities with a page
South Houston's own numbers
Typical home value
$189,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,212
Typical yearly household income
$53,497
Households that own their home
55%
Effective property tax rate
1.31%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Harris County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,497
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+31%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
9.1%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Harris County.
A typical home in South Houston is worth $189,300: 32% below the county and 33% below Texas. With the typical household income in South Houston ($53,497 a year), a typical home costs 3.5 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
South Houston3.5 years
Harris3.7 years
Texas3.6 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Harris County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Harris County rose 54% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Harris County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Harris County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +2.7% +2.7% 2016
2017: +3.3% +3.3% 2017
2018: +4.3% +4.3% 2018
2019: +3.5% +3.5% 2019
2020: +2.8% +2.8% 2020
2021: +6.3% +6.3% 2021
2022: +12.3% +12.3% 2022
2023: +5.7% +5.7% 2023
2024: +3.0% +3.0% 2024
2025: +0.6% +0.6% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Harris County, Texas and the United States
Period
County
Texas
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+0.6%
+0.8%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+31%
+44%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+54%
+88%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
South Houston next to Harris County, Texas and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
South Houston$189,300
Harris$276,600
Texas$283,800
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
South Houston$1,212
Harris$1,401
Texas$1,403
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
South Houston$53,497
Harris$74,983
Texas$78,476
United States$80,734
See the full table
South Houston next to Harris County and Texas
Measure
South Houston
Harris County
Texas
U.S.
Typical home value
$189,300 ▼32% below the county
$276,600
$283,800
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,212 ▼13% below the county
$1,401
$1,403
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$53,497 ▼29% below the county
$74,983
$78,476
$80,734
Households that own their home
55% ▲1 points above the county
55%
63%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$2,479 ▼45% below the county
$4,489
$4,232
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.31% ▼0.31 points below the county
1.62%
1.49%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
62% ▲8 points above the county
54%
52%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Harris County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in South Houston
For a typical $189,300 home in South Houston, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, South Houston's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$1,628a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$6,626
Cash to close
$12,305
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $84
Conventional, 5% down$1,594a month
Down payment
$9,465
Cash to close
$15,144
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $90
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$1,311a month
Down payment
$37,860
Cash to close
$43,539
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$1,486a month
Down payment
$28,395
Cash to close
$34,074
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in South Houston
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$1,628
$6,626
$185,871
7.18%
FHA MIP · $84
$12,305
580
Conventional, 5% down
$1,594
$9,465
$179,835
7.18%
PMI · $90
$15,144
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$1,311
$37,860
$151,440
7.18%
None
$43,539
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$1,486
$28,395
$160,905
8.18%
None
$34,074
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in South Houston is $1,212 a month: 13% below the county. In South Houston, 62% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Harris County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,497 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.79 an hour working full time.
HUD lists 2 buildings with rents for lower incomes in South Houston. These are the largest.
Granada Terrace Apartments1301 Avenue A, South Houston 77587156 low-income homes · 1 bd: 64 · 2 bd: 92 · In service since 1991 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness(713) 946-1789
Windsor Gardens Apts1620 Spencer Hwy, South Houston 77587192 homes, 153 low-income · In service since 2003(713) 944-1600
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
There are 13 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Harris County; 8 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for South Houston or Harris County. The ones below are statewide in Texas: they work in South Houston the same as in the rest of the state.
Texas state program for first-time buyers: a 30-year mortgage with down payment assistance.Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).
Texas state program with down payment assistance for any buyer, not only first-time buyers.Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).
Texas state certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal tax return.Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).
The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of South Houston, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.
TC
Tejano Center for Community Concerns
1062 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena · 2 miles away · Spanish
No legal help resource on our list is for South Houston or Harris County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for South Houston and all of Harris County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in South Houston?
The typical home value in South Houston is $189,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Harris County it is $276,600.
How much does it cost to rent in South Houston?
Typical rent in South Houston is $1,212 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Harris County is $1,497.
What is the FHA loan limit in South Houston?
South Houston uses the FHA limit for all of Harris County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in South Houston?
The typical homeowner in South Houston pays $2,479 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.31% of the home’s value; in Harris County, the rate is 1.62%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in South Houston?
There are 13 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Harris County. 8 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
