Living in Houston – Houston Best Benefits, Features & Advantages

A very large city

The total area of Houston is astonishing, as it has 669 mi2, which is equivalent to 1732 km2. 

These incredible dimensions position Houston as the fourth largest city in the United States, surpassing the state of Maryland, and the emblematic cities of New York, Boston, and San Francisco. 

Even when the areas of these three cities are added together, they do not surpass or equal Houston in surface area.

On the other hand, Houston is the seventh most populated city in the United States, with more than 2.2 million inhabitants, being preceded only by New York, Washington D.C., Miami, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Enviable Economy

This city is recognized for having one of the strongest economic systems in the country. There, the cost of living is well below the national average, for example, the average cost of a meal is $32.53, that is, 3 dollars less than the average for the rest of the country. This makes it easy to understand why most Houstonians are accustomed to eating out.

The City of Nicknames

One of Houston’s most interesting curiosities is its variety of nicknames, the best known of which are: “The space city”, “the capital of Magnolia”, and “the hustle town”.

Approximately since 1967, Houston has been known as “the space city” or “the space city”. It received this nickname because of the location of NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

Another of its nicknames is “the city of Magnolia”. It is said that the newspaper Texas World was the first to name this city this way, and it did it because Harrisburg and Magnolian Park, were in a first moment natural forests of the city of Magnolia, but through the time, and due to the urban expansion, they were appropriated by Houston. 

On the other hand, “the hustle town” is a popular nickname, which highlights the city’s high flow of commerce, implying that the city is never at rest. The nickname became popular after renowned rapper SPM released a song titled with this name. Now baseball teams, such as the Houston Astros, have adapted it to their sports slogans. 

Beer Monument

The Beer Can House is a monument of popular art made with more than 50 thousand beer cans. Its creator was John Milkovisch, and it took him a total of 18 years to make it. In 2001 The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art bought the house to preserve it, and today it is one of the most visited monuments in the city.

A City To Satisfy The Palate

The diversity and quality of food in Houston make it a very attractive place when it comes to gastronomy.  There are more than 10,000 restaurants currently active, representing approximately 70 different countries and cultures around the world. Among the gastronomic options you can find from Mexican food to Vietnamese food. 

Spooky Experiences

One of the most common and representative experiences that Houston offers its visitors is the sighting of a colony of Mexican bats. This spooky activity takes place at El Waugh Brige, a place where hundreds of these mammals hide.

Polyglot City

Historically, the city of Houston has been known for welcoming thousands of immigrants each year, which is why there are currently more than 90 languages spoken here. 

  Unbeatable Medical System

Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, and the city’s main employer. The center receives more than 5 million patients annually, including more than 10,000 international patients. 

In addition, the more than 40 institutions that make up this medical center, makes it the largest concentration of healthcare organizations in the world.

What other curiosities do you know about Houston? In this blog we only talk about 8, however, we know that this city never stops surprising, and there are many more things we could talk about.