Population 3,302 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fondren Gardens
Household size in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Fondren Gardens is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.55 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.7 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.3 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.6 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +14.8 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Fondren Gardens skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Fondren Gardens has the oldest population of any Houston neighborhood.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Fondren Gardens (15.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fondren Gardens
Renters in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.5% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 80.3% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.8% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 70.7% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Fondren Gardens rent: 70.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About two-thirds of owners (68.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −13.7 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Fondren Gardens: just 4.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Of Houston's 63 neighborhoods, only two have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
The typical home in Fondren Gardens was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the wider Houston area, where the median home dates to 1993.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $828 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $850 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,102 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,283 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$455 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fondren Gardens costs $1,283 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 25.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fondren Gardens
Bachelor's degrees in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Fondren Gardens than nationally: 26.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.7% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 73.0% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 68.3% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 64.6% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over a third of adults in Fondren Gardens never finished high school, well above the national share: only 64.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Fondren Gardens has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Houston neighborhoods.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fondren Gardens
| Period | Fondren Gardens | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fondren Gardens runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Fondren Gardens has lower unemployment than the great majority of Houston neighborhoods. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fondren Gardens compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fondren Gardens | 2.39 | 45.6 | 15.3% | 70.7% | 4.9% | 1983 | $1,283 | 26.4% | 64.6% | 3.8% |
| Westbury | 2.31 | 35.0 | 24.4% | 79.1% | 13.3% | 1976 | $1,201 | 16.5% | 71.9% | 12.7% |
| Fort Bend Houston | 2.87 | 39.0 | 15.4% | 27.1% | 5.5% | 1982 | $1,645 | 16.8% | 82.3% | 6.3% |
| Brays Oaks | 2.66 | 36.0 | 20.5% | 76.0% | 10.5% | 1981 | $1,231 | 25.5% | 65.6% | 9.1% |
| Meyerland | 2.63 | 37.8 | 15.6% | 50.6% | 10.1% | 1971 | $1,625 | 42.2% | 83.5% | 6.1% |
| Central Southwest | 3.21 | 35.8 | 21.2% | 32.4% | 5.3% | 1993 | $1,407 | 20.8% | 71.6% | 9.4% |
| Willow Meadows-Willowbend Area | 2.08 | 43.3 | 7.3% | 71.9% | 9.8% | 1976 | $1,159 | 41.8% | 76.5% | 3.9% |
| South Main | 1.69 | 36.0 | 10.4% | 84.0% | 12.1% | 2005 | $1,610 | 50.2% | 98.2% | 5.0% |
| Shadow Creek Ranch | 2.69 | 36.8 | 10.8% | 42.4% | 11.4% | 2009 | $2,103 | 60.4% | 98.6% | 2.3% |
| Sugarland | 3.06 | 35.6 | 17.6% | 57.1% | 9.5% | 1982 | $1,396 | 20.6% | 72.8% | 8.3% |
| West University | 2.48 | 39.5 | 5.1% | 45.1% | 7.7% | 1994 | $2,310 | 83.9% | 98.3% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Harborview-Seahurst-Glenhaven, Everett, WA · Bravo Park Lane, Tucson, AZ · Urbanizacion Los Angeles, Carolina, PR · Urbanizacion Fairview, San Juan, PR · Urbanizacion El Valle At Los Prados, Caguas, PR · Caballo Hills, Oakland, CA · Cadwalader-Hillcrest, Trenton, NJ · Upper Bal, San Leandro, CA · Johnson's Woods, Milwaukee, WI · Carolina Heights, Wilmington, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fondren Gardens. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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