BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? Houston, TX

C
Score
46/100
Rank #133 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Houston can still work for remote work if you’re leaning into broadband subscription alongside typical rent (2br). Overall, it’s not a top-ranked option in this set (#133 of 200), so fit matters. The main watch-out is commute 45+ min share.

Methodology · Sources · TX rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Houston ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,375/mo (5% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 89% (2% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 36% (4% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Commute 45+ min share: 16% (41% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $62,894 (17% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
2,300,419
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 49%Female 51%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,375/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
12%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
89%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$62,894
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
36%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
16%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
72/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
89/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
21/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
84/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

20%
Less than HS
44%
HS / Some college
21%
Bachelor’s
15%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

12%
Work from home
88%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

89%
Broadband
11%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,375/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
89%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
12%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$62,894
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
36%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
16%

Similar cities (by score)

#131 Dallas, TX
47/100
#132 Santa Clarita, CA
46/100
#134 Fort Lauderdale, FL
46/100
#135 Boston, MA
46/100

FAQ

›What is Houston’s remote work score and rank?
Houston, TX scores C (46/100) and ranks #133 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Houston city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Houston, TX?
Population is about 2,300,419 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Houston, TX?
About 49% male and 51% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in Houston, TX?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,375/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in Houston, TX?
Work-from-home share is 12% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in Houston, TX?
Broadband subscription is 89% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Houston, TX?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 20%, HS/some college 44%, bachelor’s 21%, advanced 15%.
›Where does this data come from for Houston, TX?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).