EDUCATION AND POVERTY

prepared by the Houston-Galveston Area Council

overviewhousing & land useeconomy & workforceeducation & healthenvironment & transportationsources

35791113

waller county

2017 PROFILE

prefaceIn 2013, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) developed Our Great Region 2040, a regional plan for sustainable development. The plan lays out a long-range vision to ensure that the 13-county region is one of the world’s greatest places to live, work, and succeed by 2040.

The 2017 profiles for all 13 counties in the region provide a demographic snapshot and build a baseline understanding from which local communities and H-GAC can gauge how the region has advanced the tenets of the Our Great Region 2040 plan.

The contents of this report have been gathered from a variety of sources referenced on the last two pages. All maps were produced by H-GAC.

To read the Our Great Region 2040 plan and all 13 county profiles, visit ourregion.org/county-profiles.html or h-gac.com/go/apps.

1 waller county

2040

grea tv

big ideasStrategies in the Our Great Region 2040 plan are grouped into Big Ideas for six different topics highlighting areas of opportunity within the region. The Big Ideas serve as high-level guides when considering new projects or policies. This 2017 county profile includes a range of demographic data points that correspond with one or multiple Big Ideas.

2

RResiliencyIncreasing our resiliency to disaster and a changing environment

Economic DevelopmentStrengthening our economic competitiveness through an educated and skilled workforce

Healthy CommunitiesCultivating places where people can lead active, healthy lives

HousingProviding balanced housing choices near jobs, services, and transportation options

TransportationAchieving a world-class transportation network

EnvironmentSecuring a clean and ample water supply

10

159

99

8

290

Fort Bend

Waller

Brookshire

Prairie View

Hempstead County Seat

Austin

Washington

Montgomery

Harris

Waller

Residents Per Square MilePopulation Growth ForecastWaller County is less dense than the region as a whole.

Waller County grew by 146% from 1980 to 2015 and is expected to reach 120,000 residents by 2040.

1980

2010

2000

1990

2020

2030

2040

2,590

560

20

120,000

20,000

2015 49,000

246

3 waller county

OVERVIEW

County Seat: HempsteadLargest City: Hempstead

Other counties

Top 4 cities

Major roads

Waller County

Waller County Boundaries

N 0 4 8 miles

10

159

99

8

290

Harris

RegionBrazoria

Montgom

eryFort Bend

Chambers

Wharton

Walker

Matagorda

Colorado

Liberty

Austin

Galveston

Waller

Race and EthnicityWaller County has a higher portion of Black residents than the region and the state.

County Region TexasWhite

Hispanic*

BlackAsianOther

43% 39% 44%

29% 36% 38%

25% 17% 12%

1% 7% 4%

1% 2% 2%

Median Household IncomeWaller County has a similar median household income as the region.

$53,200$51,300

Poverty RateWaller County has a higher rate of poverty than the region, but a lower rate for seniors.

County

Region

Texas

18% 23% 5%

16% 23% 10%

17% 25% 11%

Overall Children (under 18) Seniors (65 and over)

4

AgeWaller County has a higher portion of 18-34 year olds than the region.

Ages 18-34

over 65

Ages 0-17

Ages 35-64

24%27%

32%25%

33%39%

11%10%

CountyRegion

*As defined by the Office of Management and Budget as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

Harris

Texas

Montgom

eryBrazoria

Fort BendCham

bers

Wharton

Walker

Matagorda

ColoradoLiberty

Austin

Galveston

Waller

5 waller county

Waller County Land Use

10

159290

99

8

N

WallerWashington

Austin

Montgomery

Harris

Forest, shrubs, pasture, grasslands, barren lands and cultivated crops

80%

Wetlands5%

Open water1%Developed Land14%

Other counties

Building Permits IssuedMulti-family construction is rapidly rising after a post-2000 drop while single-family permits remain low since 2008.

1990

1992

1998

2010

2012

1996

2004

2006

2008

1994

2002

2000

2014

2016

4

90

Single Family 10 units

160

0

Multi-Family 290 units

0 4 8 miles

HOUSING & LAND USE

Vacant Housing UnitsAround 13% of Waller County’s housing units are vacant.

13%

Housing TenureWaller County has a higher rate of homeownership than the region or the state.

Owners 69% Renters 31%

61% 39%

62% 38%

County

Region

Texas

Median Home ValueWaller County has a higher median home value than the state.

Housing Units Built Since 2000Around 30% of Waller County’s housing units were built since 2000.

Housing TypeWaller County has a higher rate of RV, boat and mobile homes than the region.

Single Family Multi-Family RV, boat, & mobile home

63% 13% 24%

66% 29% 5%

68% 24% 8%

County

Region

Texas

6

Wetlands

Open water

Developed Land

Living CostsWaller County households spend 52% of their income on transportation and housing.

26%

26%

Housing

Transportation

Texas

Austin

Waller

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Matagorda

Walker

Galveston

$136,000

$144,200

Texas

Austin

Waller

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Colorado

Galveston

25%

30%

Fort Bend

Brazoria Cham

bers

Harris

Colorado

Liberty

Fort BendCham

bers

Brazoria

Liberty

Walker

Harris

Matagorda

ECONOMY & WORKFORCE

Hempstead ISD

Briarwood-Brookwood, Inc.Creekside Nursery

Igloo

PBS of Central Florida

Royal ISDPrairie View A&M University

Waller ISDWal-Mart Associates, Inc.

Major Employers in Waller County

Top Industries by Percent of Overall Jobs

Educational ServicesRetail Trade

Retail Trade

Educational Services

Construction

Construction

Manufacturing

Manufacturing 17%

5%

10%

15%

8%

17%

24%

29%

7 waller county

Employment & Education (16-19 Year Olds)Only 7% of Waller County’s working-age teens are both unemployed and out of school.

Enrolled in School Employed, Not in School Not in School or Employed

84% 4% 7%

85% 7% 8%

County

Region

Manufacturing has replaced Educational Services as the industry with the highest employment in Waller County. The Manufacturing industry employed one-quarter of Waller County’s workers in 2014, up from 17% in 2002.

2002 2014

*This reflects the most up-to-date publicly available data and may not represent the current mix of major employers in the county.

Only 15% of Waller County residents work in the county, and only 20% of the workers in the county live there.

Workers’ Job & Home Destinations

Libe

rty

Colo

rado

Out

side

Reg

ion

Out

side

Reg

ion

Mat

agor

da

Cham

bers

Fort

Ben

d

Fort

Ben

d

Aust

in

Mon

tgom

ery

Mon

tgom

ery

Aust

in

Braz

oria

Braz

oria

Mat

agor

da

Wha

rton

Wha

rton

Gal

vest

on

Cham

bers

Gal

vest

on

Wal

ker

Wal

ker

Colo

rado

Libe

rty

Har

ris

Har

ris

Wal

ler

2,600 Waller County residents both live and work in the county. 8,

400

3,00

0

60090

0

2,50

0

1,20

0

1,20

0

300

<200500

5,20

0

Workers in the county who live elsewhereCounty residents who work elsewhere

<300

8

Unemployment Rate Earnings of ResidentsWaller County’s unemployment mirrors national trends, and was higher than the nation in 2016.

Nearly 50% of Waller County residents earn more than $40,000 annually, a lower percentage than the region.

2006

2010

2012

2014

2008

2016

County 5.7%

8.6%

5.3%

Nation 4.9%

9.6%

4.6%

$15,000 or less

$15,000- $40,000

$40,000 or more

Region

52%

31%

17%

Waller

49%

33%

18%

EDUCATION

22%

31%

28%

19%

18%

24%

28%

30%

18%

25%

29%

28%

County

Region

Texas

Less than High School

High School or Equivalent

Some College or Associate’s

Bachelor’s Degree or More

A lower percentage of Waller County residents have a bachelor’s degree or more than the region and state.

Educational Attainment

Median Earnings by Educational AttainmentA Waller County resident with a graduate or professional degree makes, on average, $32,100 more than a resident with less than a high school education annually.

Less th

an

high school

$20K

High school o

r

equivalent

Some colle

ge or

Associa

te’s

Bachelor’s

$20,400

$27,500

$44,700

$52,500

Graduate or

Professi

onal

$45,300

$60K

Waller County students graduated at a higher rate in 2015 than the students of most counties in the region.

Class of 2015 Graduation Rate

97%92%

100%92%

94%Local Schools

Royal ISD

Hempstead ISDPublic Secondary Schools

Katy ISD

Waller ISD

Prairie View A&M UniversityPost-Secondary Schools

9 waller county

Austin

Liberty

Montgom

ery

Brazoria

Wharton

Galveston

Fort Bend

All W

aller Students

Hispanic W

aller Students

White W

aller Students

Black Waller Students

Asian W

aller Students

Harris

Walker

Colorado

Matagorda

Chambers

HEALTH

Population without Health InsuranceA higher percentage of Waller County residents lack health insurance than the region or state.

23%14%

12%

12%

21%

21%

County

Region

Texas

Children (under 18) Total population

Waller County has the highest obesity rate in the region.

Adult Obesity Rate

Chambers

Austin

Galveston

Fort Bend

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Liberty

Matagorda

Colorado

Walker

Harris

Waller

Texas

34%

31%

Top Causes of Death Per 100,000 Waller County residents

Cancer (all types)202170

59

Heart disease

Accidents

10

Brazoria

Dentists Per Capita

County 15 per 100,000

Texas 53 per 100,000

Doctors Per Capita

County 11 per 100,000

Texas 74 per 100,000

ENVIRONMENT

11 waller county

Residents in 100-year Floodplain Residents in Hurricane Evacuation ZoneA similar percentage of Waller County residents live in a 100-year floodplain as the region.

No Waller County residents live in a hurricane evacuation zone, as opposed to 25% of the region’s residents.

13% 12%

RegionCounty

0% 25%

RegionCounty

Waller County EcoRegions & Conservation Districts

Conservation and Recreation Lands

Southern Tertiary Uplands

Floodplains & Low Terraces (East Central Texas Plains)

Northern Humid Gulf Coast Prairie

Floodplains & Low Terraces (Western Gulf Coast Plain)

Southern Post Oak Savanna

Other counties

Waller

Washington

Fort Bend

Austin

Harris

Montgomery

0 4 8 miles

TRANSPORTATION

Waller County workers have a longer average commute than the region as a whole.

Mean Commute to Work (minutes)

Chambers

Austin

Galveston

Fort Bend

Montgom

ery

Wharton

Liberty

Matagorda

Colorado

Walker

Brazoria

Harris

Waller

Region

34

29

32

21

Waller County drivers travel more annually than drivers in the region as a whole.

Vehicle Miles Traveled per Person

Chambers

Austin

Galveston

Fort Bend

Montgomery

Wharton

Liberty

Matagorda

Colorado

Walker

Brazoria

Harris

Waller

Region

34,100

8,700

16,000

6,000

Commute Mode to WorkA lower percentage of Waller County workers drive to work compared to the region as a whole.

County 77% 10% 1%5% 7%

Region 80% 11% 4% 2% 3%

Drive alone

Carpool

Work from

home

Public transit

Walk, bike, other

Waller County has a higher rate of traffic fatalities as the rest of the region.

Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 Residents

County 15

30

Region 10

11

2010 2015

12

SOURCES

13 waller county

Overview

Economy & Workforce

Housing & Land Use

Top Industries by Percent of Overall JobsU.S. Census Bureau, 2002-2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics ProgramMajor Employers in Waller County2016 Workforce Solutions, County Economic ProfilesEmployment & Education (16-19 Year Olds)U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B14005Unemployment RateU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2006-2016Earnings of ResidentsU.S. Census Bureau, 2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics ProgramWorkers’ Job & Home DestinationsU.S. Census Bureau, 2014, OnTheMap Application, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program

Waller County Boundaries (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Waller County Land Use (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Population Growth ForecastHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Building Permits IssuedU.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 1990-2015

Residents per Square MileHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Housing TenureU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

AgeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B01001

Housing TypeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

Median Household IncomeU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S2503

Vacant Housing UnitsU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

Poverty RateU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S1701

Living CostsCenter for Neighborhood Technology 2013 H+T® Index

Race and EthnicityU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B03002

Median Home ValueU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04Housing Units Built Since 2000U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04

14

Education & Health

Environment & Transportation

Educational AttainmentU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S1501

Waller County EcoRegions & Conservation Districts (map)Houston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Local SchoolsTexas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Residents in 100-year FloodplainHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Class of 2015 Graduation RateTexas Education Agency, Four-Year Graduation and Dropout Data, Class of 2015

Residents in Hurricane Evacuation ZoneHouston-Galveston Area Council, 2017

Median Earnings by Educational AttainmentU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table B20004

Mean Commute to Work (minutes)U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S0802

Population without Health InsuranceU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S2701

Vehicle Miles Traveled per PersonTexas Department of Transportation, 2015 Roadway Inventory

Top Causes of DeathTexas Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Health Statistics, 2013 County Health Facts Profiles

Commute Mode to WorkU.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, Table S0802

Adult Obesity RateCenter for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013 County Data Indicators

Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 ResidentsTexas Department of Transportation, 2010-2015, Crash Records Information System

Dentists per CapitaU.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Area Health Resources FilesDoctors per CapitaU.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Area Health Resources Files

Houston-Galveston Area CouncilPO Box 22777 Houston, Texas 77227-2777

www.h-gac.comwww.ourregion.org

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