The data presented in the survey is a collection of more than 9,800 residents in Fort Bend, Harris and Montgomery counties. Kinder Institute of Urban Research officials said during a May 19 presentation that the 2025 survey is the first time residents from Fort Bend and Montgomery counties have been included since 2018, leading to the largest administration of the survey ever conducted.
Breaking it down
Across the three counties, 25% of residents said that the best thing about living in the Houston area is diversity, with economy, culture and entertainment in the following three rankings. However, when asked about the top five most commonly identified “biggest problems” facing the Houston area, respondents said:
- Crime and safety
- Economy
- Cost of housing
- Traffic
- Infrastructure
“I care about Houston and Houstonians; we all want a great city in which to live, work and raise our families," Whitmire said in an early 2024 statement, noting before his election that public safety would be his No. 1 priority as mayor.
Whitmire also called on regional organizations during a May 22 conference regarding funding issues for mobility projects across Houston and Harris County, although only 14% of county residents cited traffic as the city’s biggest problem.
However, residents in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties voted 25% and 24%, respectively, for traffic being the biggest concern.
Voters in Montgomery County recently approved a $480 million road bond in May, which will fund 76 projects across the county, according to previous Community Impact coverage. Fort Bend County officials have also approved some transportation projects, including the expansion of its microtransit service area in Sugar Land and a new park and ride facility in Missouri City.
More details
Residents of all three counties were also asked to share the best things about living in the Houston area. Fort Bend and Harris County residents highlighted diversity, economy and culture, while Montgomery County residents voted highly in favor of activities and entertainment and community.
Nearly 60% of all surveyed residents rated the culture positively, with over 80% also rating small and large-scale events, such as sporting events, concerts and theatre performances, as good, very good, or excellent.
Some other key findings from the survey include:
- Nearly 40% of residents said they were giving some thought to leaving Houston in the next few years, with 1 in 6 saying it was very or extremely likely they would leave.
- Quality of life and perceptions of Houston differ widely by income. Those earning below $25,000 are three times as likely as those earning $100,000 to rate their quality of life as poor or fair.
- The highest levels of support were recorded for government action to reduce economic inequality between the rich and poor and to ensure everyone who wants to work can find a job with 88% agreeing.
- Houston-area residents recognize that immigrants contribute more to the economy than they take, with 71% agreeing to this statement when it comes to all immigrants, and 61% agreeing when it comes to undocumented immigrants.
