Population 18,982 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rice
Household size in Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.92 | 2.96 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 3.00 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.98 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.91 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.42 | −0.05 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Rice is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.92, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the west.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 34.8 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 36.4 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Rice is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.3, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.3, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the west.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.5% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 13.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.8% of households in Rice, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Houston's 63 neighborhoods, only two have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Rice
Renters in Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 36.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.0% | 38.6% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.3% | 39.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.5% | 38.8% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Rice than nationally: 47.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the center. The renter share is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 10.1% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 9.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 8.6% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Rice: 13.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1988 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1993 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
Homes in Rice are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in the Houston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1993. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,103 | $1,018 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,390 | $1,103 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,605 | $1,300 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,087 | $1,649 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$984 | +$631 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rice pays $2,087 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $984 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Rice
Bachelor's degrees in Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.8% | 29.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.0% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.3% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 77.1% | 35.9% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Rice is highly educated: about three-quarters of adults 25 and older (77.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 5.8 points, even as the national share rose. Of Houston's 63 neighborhoods, only four have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.2% | 80.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.4% | 81.9% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.7% | 83.6% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.2% | 84.8% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Rice: 99.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other Houston neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Rice
| Period | Rice | Houston area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Rice than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Rice 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 2.34 | 36.3 | 2.8% | 47.5% | 13.2% | 1985 | $2,087 | 77.1% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Medical | 1.87 | 34.9 | 5.6% | 74.7% | 10.5% | 1993 | $1,558 | 71.9% | 97.4% | 7.1% |
| West University | 2.48 | 39.5 | 5.1% | 45.1% | 7.7% | 1994 | $2,310 | 83.9% | 98.3% | 4.2% |
| Montrose | 1.75 | 36.3 | 3.1% | 62.7% | 13.5% | 1993 | $1,741 | 78.3% | 98.4% | 5.0% |
| River Oaks | 1.77 | 42.6 | 4.7% | 63.3% | 12.1% | 1995 | $2,054 | 78.7% | 98.2% | 4.0% |
| Midtown | 1.57 | 33.3 | 3.7% | 79.9% | 9.6% | 2004 | $1,912 | 73.4% | 98.9% | 3.1% |
| Fourth Ward | 1.79 | 31.4 | 8.7% | 80.1% | 11.3% | 2003 | $1,856 | 69.9% | 99.3% | 7.8% |
| South Main | 1.69 | 36.0 | 10.4% | 84.0% | 12.1% | 2005 | $1,610 | 50.2% | 98.2% | 5.0% |
| Washington Avenue-Memorial Park | 1.73 | 32.5 | 2.8% | 76.0% | 10.2% | 2005 | $1,943 | 75.4% | 98.2% | 1.0% |
| Rice Military | 1.79 | 34.9 | 4.5% | 55.9% | 7.8% | 2009 | $2,176 | 79.9% | 98.8% | 1.8% |
| Willow Meadows-Willowbend Area | 2.08 | 43.3 | 7.3% | 71.9% | 9.8% | 1976 | $1,159 | 41.8% | 76.5% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Chimney Lakes, Jacksonville, FL · Cascade Heights, Atlanta, GA · Central District, Seattle, WA · Alden Bridge, The Woodlands, TX · Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY · Chatham, Chicago, IL · Cherry Creek, Denver, CO · Bernal Heights, San Francisco, CA · Bellerose, Queens, NY · Bassickville Historic District, Bridgeport, CT
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 Rice. 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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