Houston Chronicle's 20 COOL THINGS about Houston

The 2007 Houston, TX, population is 2,034,463. A t 8,778 square miles, the Greater Houston Area covers more ground than any other major city in America.  In fact, we’re as big as the entire countries of Israel and El Salvador. That’s a lot of space filled with a vast number of business opportunities, but a closer look offers a better view. 

Called the Bayou City, Houston is home to more than 10 of these winding waterways that not only irrigate the lush landscape, but serve as green spaces for fitness and nature enthusiasts. Several lakes and bays also provide pleasant scenes of fun in the sun as well as a feast for the eyes. Houston has more than 650 parks with all sorts of amenities including walking trails, playgrounds, pools, dog parks and community centers. http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/ 

Beyond beauty, it’s the business opportunities provided by Houston’s waterways that are the primary reasons for the city’s existence. The Port of Houston still thrives today, thanks to the dredging of Buffalo Bayou to form the famous Houston Ship Channel. The port area is just one of the many business districts that have branched out from the inner city. Other areas such as the Uptown/Galleria area, Greenway Plaza, Interstate 10’s Energy Corridor and, of course, the Texas Medical Center, are booming with business development and shortening the commute for many Houston residents. But public transportation and Houston’s excellent freeway system can still connect Houston’s 3 million-plus people to our revitalized downtown business district.

Houston’s strong economy has brought with it a diverse population, which has worked to enhance our high standards of excellence in two critical areas — education and worship. The Houston area consistently leads all of Texas in the number of exemplary schools, and because of our cultural diversity, the Houston Independent School District — just one of the many districts in the area — serves students who speak dozens of languages.

The international city is also home to 45 religions, from African Methodist to Zoroastrian. 90 different languages are spoken in Houston too, creating a true metropolitan melting pot.

Did you know that:

• Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S, trailing only  N.Y, L.A and Chicago. Houston is  located in a culturally diverse metropolitan region of 5.3 million residents – and growing at more than twice the national pace.

• More Houstonians dine out than in any other American city. Houston has more than 10,000 restaurants ranging from extremely upscale with award winning cuisine to the smaller, family run places. So whether your tastes run from haute cuisine to Texas barbeque or tacos,  Houston really does have it all and that's why we have also been nominated on a few occasions as the fattest city in the nation. Thankfully, that honor as been passed on, at least for this year...
• Houston has more than 650 city and county parks with many amenities including walking trails, bike trails, playgrounds, pools, dog parks and community centers.
• Houston has one of the lowest costs of living anywhere in the country. Houston’s housing costs in cities of more than two million people are 44 percent below the national average. Its cost of living costs are 23 percent below the average. So whether you choose high-rise living, townhome living, a stucco or brick single-family or a brand new home in Houston’s suburbs, you have so many wonderful options. Texas is expected to have strong appreciation in the coming years, while other states are expected to decline. For 2006, the housing market  surpassed records while many of the previously "hot" markets really cooled off. The slump in 2007 bypassed Houston and home sales are up slightly over last year for the first half.

• Houston offers residents three new, high-tech sports arenas, home to baseball, basketball, hockey and football teams. As of 2006, Houston also has it's first soccer team, the Houston Dynamo.

• Houston is one of the few cities in the country with resident companies for all four major performing arts: ballet, drama, opera and symphony. Our museum district rivals the best and culturally, Houston has it all.

• Now for the weather. In spite of what you may have been told, Houston’s weather is a fantastic mix of sunshine and more sunshine. The region averages 59% of possible sunshine annually, ranging from 45% in January to 70% in July. The average annual temperature is 69.9 degrees, with highs in the summer averaging 85 degrees and winter lows averaging about 50 degrees. That's not to say we don't have our summer days where it reaches over 100 degrees with high humidity. We just think of the days in Dec and January where we see our friends on the evening news in other parts of the country digging themselves out of snow on a daily basis while we enjoy our back yard or patio BBQ's!
• Houston has the largest medical center in the world. The Texas Medical Center has more than 40 member institutions, including two medical schools, four schools of nursing, 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions. People from all over the world come to Houston for it's cutting edge expertise in the cancer and heart fields. M.D Anderson Cancer Center is truly a pioneer in the treatment of cancer as well as research.
• Last but not least, Houston is a shopper’s paradise. If you prefer the traditional shopping mall, then the Galleria is the granddaddy of them all. It has many of the upscale designer boutiques such as Gucci, Vuitton, Armani, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Carolina Herrera,Tiffany, Cartier and many, many others. There are also the high end department stores such as Sak's Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstroms. If your tastes run to the "outdoor" upscale shopping centers, there's the fabulous Uptown Park in the Galleria area, Highland Village, which is home to many popular stores such as Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Kiels, Z Gallerie, Banana Republic and many others. If you work up an appetite there, you can grab a bite at PF Chang's, RA Sushi and  Smith & Wollensky.  Lastly, there's Rice Village shopping in the West University Place/Rice University area. It too has great shopping with a good mix of national stores and local boutiques. The Woodlands also gets an honorable mention for it's  wonderful, recently completed outdoor shopping and dining center at the town center. Great local and national stores and some wonderful restaurants too.  You'll feel like your on vacation sitting on the Tommy Bahama restaurant's patio.  For specialty boutiques, antique shopping and funkier stores, there's Montrose, the Heights and Upper Kirby.

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  Maximum personal income tax:  None  State Income tax: None  Sales tax:  8.2%, no tax on food items. Per capita taxes: $3,302 Per capita tax rate: 12.5% Texas is a community propertyState. Property taxes range from 3% to closer to 4% in some suburbs. This is based on the county's *appraised* value which will typically be lower than the market price you paid for the home. The good news is................ Texas has a Homestead exemption which allows a homeowner to lower their property taxes by approximately 20%. In order to file for this exemption, the owner must own their home on January 1, and it must be the primary residence. Forms for Harris County can be downloaded at www.HCAD.org  (Harris County Appraisal District) homes not in Harris County have other appraisal districts so it's important to know what district your home is located in.

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  For more property tax information contact: 

   

  APPRAISAL DISTRICT OFFICE .
  P. O. Box 13528 ,
  Austin , Texas 78711-3528
  800-252-9121
  
  or visit www.HCAD.org for the specific appraisal district
  

  
  
  

  Texas has a homestead law that protects property ownership Texas Financial Responsibility Law requires proof of insurance in your automobile $15,000 Bodily Injury per person $30,000 per person per accident $15,000 property damage To obtain a Texas

  driver’s license you must furnish your valid out-of-state driver’s license and take a written test. Licenses are issued for four years. Legal driving age is 18. Parental consent may be obtained for individuals under 18 and students with approved driver education may obtain a license at 16.

• You have 30 days after arrival in Texas to obtain a valid vehicle registration card and license plates. Your vehicle must be inspected by an officer and all fees must be paid in cash at the time.
• To register as a voter in Texas , you must be an American citizen, 18 years of age by election day and have been a resident of the new city , county or state for 30 days.