Indeed Houston

Houston, Texas - The Coolest City in America

The city of Houston, Texas has been deemed the coolest city in the United States and one of the world's most interesting cities by a recent study. It is home to over 2.2 million residents and ranks as the fourth most populated in the US. As the energy industry rebounds, local manufacturing has been revived. This makes the city a top draw for newcomers. Indeed Houston

Houston is also a center of scientific discovery with many breakthrough research projects taking place in the biotech, medical devices, nanotechnology, and genomics sectors. A recent study by the Kinder Institute for the Study of Texas ranked Houston as the best large metropolitan area for ethnic diversity and racially-diverse population. In fact, Houston is the fourth most racially-diverse city in the U.S., and the racially-diverse population is bolstered by international migration, which represents nearly one-fourth of the region's total growth over the past decade.

Houston's job growth has been among the fastest in the country, and it isn't just the energy sector that is expanding. Since December 2008, the Houston metro area's job base has grown by 9.8 percent, faster than Dallas and the entire Greater Los Angeles area.

One of the reasons is Houston's lower overall cost of living. It is 16.8 percent below the average, and this has lowered housing costs by a whopping 14.6 percent. The city also offers competitive health coverage, a defined contribution pension plan, and a physical examination before allowing anyone to be considered for employment.

Houston is also home to many Fortune 500 companies. These include Toyota, whose North American headquarters are moving to the metroplex, and Charles Schwab, who is leaving California for the Texas desert. Indeed, the largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation is in Houston, as well.

Although Houston has long depended on migrants from the surrounding rural areas, it is now attracting newcomers from across the country and abroad. New York, Boston, and San Francisco have all had their share of migrants, but Houston is now a destination of choice for newcomers from the dense and expensive regions of the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest.

Of course, the most impressive thing about Houston is that it is not just a business town. There are also plenty of fun things to do. From the largest medical complex in the world to the largest art museum in the country, the city is a cultural hotbed. Moreover, there are over 10,000 restaurants to choose from. And if that's not enough, the city boasts one of the best ports in the U.S., which consistently ranks first in both export and import tonnage.

Houston's economic growth has been a boon to its citizens. It has been recognized by Forbes as the "Coolest City in America" and has a plethora of other accolades. In fact, it is the second-largest concentration of Fortune 1000 companies in the country after only New York. Texans aren't afraid to play favorites, and Houston's government is not afraid to make policies that benefit workers.