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Living in
Bellaire.
About
Life in Bellaire
This is a wealthy, quiet residential enclave nestled within Houston's sprawl—think manicured neighborhoods where your biggest weekend decision might be which of the 248 local restaurants to visit. The median household income hovers around $244,000, and the median home value sits near $1,040,000, so this is absolutely a community built for affluent families who prioritize space and stability over trendy urban living. The school system is solid, with standout public options like Pin Oak Middle School (a National Blue Ribbon School) and Bellaire High School, plus three private K-12 schools if that's your preference, and the median commute is a reasonable 21.8 minutes given Houston's typical traffic patterns.
Bellaire at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Foreign-Born
22.8%
Broadband Internet
97.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics22.8% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Bellaire: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bellaire, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (23.8%), and 9.3% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
26.8%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.8%
of households
Married Couples
73.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.82
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Living
Rent, home values, and income in Bellaire
In Bellaire, home values are 266% above the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
87.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,182,531 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Bellaire and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Harris County, which includes Bellaire, is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Bellaire: Harris County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Harris County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Bellaire is less than 1% of Harris County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Bellaire Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX metro area
Commute20.9 min avg
How Bellaire residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bellaire, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 20 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bellaire runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
137.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,605.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bellaire Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Harris County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Harris County, which includes Bellaire, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73.1M |
| 2023 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.3M |
| 2022 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2021 | 23 | Flash Flood | $34.1M |
| 2020 | 17 | Hail | $1.2M |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $200.6M |
| 2018 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Harris County, county-wide
Bellaire is less than 1% of Harris County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality62 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Harris County, which includes Bellaire, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
62
Good Days
40
per year
Moderate Days
287
per year
Unhealthy Days
10
per year
Harris County, county-wide
Bellaire is less than 1% of Harris County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate93°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bellaire has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and warm winters (avg low 46°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/61°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/62°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/46°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
55.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
109
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
5
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
107
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 44°F | 4.04" |
| Feb | 67°F | 49°F | 2.75" |
| Mar | 73°F | 54°F | 3.81" |
| Apr | 79°F | 61°F | 5.17" |
| May | 86°F | 69°F | 5.07" |
| Jun | 91°F | 75°F | 7.90" |
| Jul | 93°F | 77°F | 4.46" |
| Aug | 94°F | 77°F | 3.37" |
| Sep | 90°F | 72°F | 4.48" |
| Oct | 82°F | 63°F | 5.38" |
| Nov | 72°F | 53°F | 3.36" |
| Dec | 65°F | 46°F | 4.33" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bellaire
Bellaire has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.4%
of residents
Legent North Houston Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire
Psychiatric · 0.7 mi away · Houston
West Oaks Hospital
Psychiatric · 2.2 mi away · Houston
Texas Orthopedic Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Houston
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bellaire
Bellaire's student/teacher ratio is 17.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 83.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
83.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Bellaire (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 40,503 students · in-state tuition $2,040 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,369 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 38,380 students · in-state tuition $9,717 · 65% graduate · median earnings $68,423 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Houston-Downtown
7.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,555 students · in-state tuition $7,708 · 57% graduate · median earnings $57,404 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 6,844 students · in-state tuition $9,173 · 33% graduate · median earnings $46,064 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,776 students · in-state tuition $67,857 · 95% graduate · median earnings $90,773 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,220 students · in-state tuition $35,754 · 67% graduate · median earnings $64,410 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 83 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bellaire
Bellaire has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (83 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bellaire
Bellaire City Library
5111 Jessamine St, Bellaire
Cities Near Bellaire
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bellaire?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bellaire FAQ
Is Bellaire, Texas safe?⌄
Bellaire's violent crime rate was 137 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2605 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bellaire, Texas?⌄
Harris County, which includes Bellaire, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
How is the commute in Bellaire, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Bellaire is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from