Regional Population

The Gulf Coast region's almost 12,000 square mile area is home to nearly 7.2 million people.  The region is home to two of the top 20 fastest growing counties in the nation with a population of over 250,000 - Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. Sixty-five percent of the population resides in Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, the third most populous county in the nation and home of the City of Houston.

Quick Statistics

• Total regional population grew 17% from 2010 to 2018, almost three times faster than the nation's 5.8% growth rate for the same period.
• The population is becoming less Anglo with the percent of Hispanic or Latino population rising from 29% in 2000 to 34% in 2010 to 36 percent in 2017, the most recent year for which detailed demographic data is available.
• The City of Houston is the state's largest city with a population of 2.3 million.
• The fastest population growth in the region between 2017 and 2018 occurred among the counties immediately adjacent to Harris County: Waller, Montgomery and Liberty counties, which posted increases of 3.6%, 3.3% and 3.0%, respectively, compared to Harris County's increase of only 0.7% over this same period.
• The Gulf Coast Region is home to four of the top 20 fastest-growing counties in the state between 2010 and 2018: Fort Bend, Montgomery, Waller, and Chambers Counties (30%, 29%, 22% and 20%, respectively).

Slide Presentation:  Gulf Coast Population Trends, July 2017 - July 2018

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