10 Great Reasons to Move to Houston
When people picture the city of Houston, they often picture the heat mixed with the oil refineries and turn their nose. But this does not do justice to the thriving city that remains one of the most up and coming in America. Not only is this place home to twenty six of the top Fortune 500 Companies, and by extension the best place to look for jobs, but your pay check will go farther here than it will anywhere else. Tack on to this the fact that it is a thriving cultural location with a diverse restaurant scene, and it is easy to see why anyone would want to pack their bags and move to Houston.
1. Houston is the number one city for job creation, thanks largely to the fact that it is home for more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in the United States save for New York. Many of these companies are part of the oil and gas industry and include such names as Halliburton, Sysco, and Conoco Phillips, which encourages many families to move to Houston each year.
2. Houston is home to the biggest concentration of healthcare organizations. The scientists here are working very hard to beat cancer, thanks to the Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. This institution is the premier cancer research and treatment hospital in the world and is working toward cures for five types of cancer. In addition, the Texas Medical Center is the biggest employer in the city.
3. Houston is one of the central hubs for the oil and gas industry. This oil and gas sector offers 3.4% job growth annually.
4. Houston has a significantly low unemployment rate, compared to the national rates of unemployment.
5. International trade has offered rapid growth to the city. The port of Houston is ranked third in terms tonnage handled which means that it brings with it international trade and a great deal of business growth. This is one of the most business friendly cities because it lacks zoning laws. The port brings over one hundred foreign-owned companies.
6. Houston is where the NASA Astronaut Corps calls home. This is a large employer as well as a large research center where Mission Control is located for all spaceflight.
7. Your pay check here will go much farther than any other city. Why? Because living costs are significantly lower here, and wages are higher. This city has the highest pay in America.
8. Houston is the most racially and ethnically diverse city in America. In fact, its numbers just passed New York. There are almost as many Latinos living in Houston as there are Anglos. There is also a thriving Asian population in the city which is surpassing New York.
9. Not only is the city diverse in its population, but in its food. Houston is home to a range of barbecue, seafood, and ethnic cuisine. It is particularly popular for its Vietnamese food. Why? Because the large expatriate population of Vietnamese living in Houston were drawn to the area because of the seafood. In addition, the city has delicious Cajun cuisine thanks to its proximity to New Orleans, amazing Mexican cuisine, and more.
10. Barbecue. That one word says it all. The barbecue locations found in this great city are famous world wide.
If you found this guide useful then check our moving to Texas guide for more reasons why folks in their droves are calling Texas home.