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Fort Bend County vs Harris County, TX: growth, jobs and income compared

Fort Bend County is growing faster than Harris County: +2.5% vs +1.0% between 2024 and 2025. Fort Bend County gained 24,163 residents and Harris County gained 48,695 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Data as of 2025 · updated

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Side by side

Fort Bend County vs Harris County, TX side by side: public federal figures
MeasureFort Bend CountyHarris County
Population2025975,1915,045,026 Larger
Population change2020–25+17.4% Higher+6.6%
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents202510.7 Higher−8.6
Private-sector job growth2018–23+26.1% Higher+6.1%
Median household income2020–24$114,041 Higher$74,983
Unemployment rate20254.3% Lower4.5%
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents202512.8 Higher6.1

The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area.

Each county in full

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Questions

Is Fort Bend County or Harris County growing faster?

Fort Bend County is growing faster than Harris County: +2.5% vs +1.0% between 2024 and 2025. Fort Bend County gained 24,163 residents and Harris County gained 48,695 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Which has the higher median household income, Fort Bend County or Harris County?

Fort Bend County: $114,041, against $74,983 in Harris County (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).

Which has the lower unemployment rate, Fort Bend County or Harris County?

Fort Bend County: 4.3%, against 4.5% in Harris County (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).

Where they rank in the state

More comparisons

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.