PERSPECTIVES PERSPECTIVE S ON A CITY IN
T RAN SI T IO N TRANSITION
FIGURE 1: THE OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN HARRIS COUNTY (FEBRUARY FIGURES, 1982–2015)
OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
11.0
10.1
9.8
10.0
Official unemployment rates in Harris County
9.0
8.6 8.4
7.8
8.0
7.3
6.8
7.0
6.8
6.6 6.0
6.7
5.7
5.0
5.1
4.7
4.5
4.0
4.4
4.3 4.3
4.0
3.0 82
85
88
91
94
97
00
03
06
YEAR OF SURVEY Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
09
12
15
PERCENT GIVING POSITIVE RATINGS
FIGURE 2: POSITIVE RATINGS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA (1982–2015) 100
Percent rating job opportunities as “excellent” or “good”
90 80 70
71
69
68
60 50
43
48
42
40
35
41
30 20
25
10 0
58 60
58
11 82
85
88
91
94
97
00
03
06
09
12
15
YEAR OF SURVEY
FIGURE 3: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PEOPLE IN THE HOUSTON AREA TODAY (1982–2015) 80
71
PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS
70 60 50
Traffic Economy Crime
70
51
47
44
40 30
26
25
27
20 10 0
39
35
14
10 82
85
YEAR OF SURVEY
88
91
94
97
00
03
23 16 15
10 06
37
09
12
26
31
20
19
28 21
16
18 15
FIGURE 4: ASSESSMENTS OF TRAFFIC IN THE HOUSTON AREA, AND OF THREE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS (2009–2015) 100 90 80 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS
70 60
“Over the past three years, has traffic in the Houston area generally gotten better, gotten worse, or has it stayed about the same?” 65
59 53
2009
56
“Which of these proposals would be the best long-term solution to the traffic problems in the Houston area?”
2011
2013
2015
50
42 40 44 43
40
31 31
30
24
33 33
28 16 15
20
12
10 0
Worse
Same
27 26
21 23
27 27
6
Better
Highways
Urbanism
Transit
FIGURE 5: ASSESSMENTS OF CRIME, AIR POLLUTION AND OVERALL LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE HOUSTON AREA TODAY (2005–2015) “Very worried” that you or a member of your family will become the victim of a crime.
“Very concerned” about the effects of air pollution on your family’s health. 50%
33%
31%
05
07
09
11
13
42%
29%
15
05
07
09
11
13
36%
15
Living conditions in the Houston area have “gotten better.”
37%
05
34%
07
09
11
13
38%
15
FIGURE 6: ASSESSMENTS OF RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS IN THE HOUSTON AREA, BY ETHNICITY (1992–2015) 60%
Percent rating ethnic relations as “excellent” or “good” 48% 49% 38%
33%
27% 21%
35%
59%
56% 53% Anglos 46% 48% 45% Latinos 37% 36% 35%
27%
14%
10%
92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
Blacks
FIGURE 7: ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRANTS IN HARRIS COUNTY (2009–2015) Percent of respondents agreeing 90%
69% 54% 55%
83%
72% 64%
09
11
72% 52%
Admit the same number or more legal immigrants. 0%
71%
13
For: granting a path to legal citizenship. 15 09
10
11
12
13
14
60%
59%
47%
The new immigration mostly strengthens American culture. 15 09
11
13
15
© 2015 The 34th Annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
9
FIGURE 8: ETHNICITY AND EDUCATION IN THE THREE COUNTIES (ACS 2009–2013 FIVE-YEAR ESTIMATES) 100% 90%
8.0
19.8
80% 70%
41.4
23.9
40%
18.5
20% 10% 0%
80%
4.1
20.7 69.9
30%
90%
21.6
60% 50%
100%
4.4
Asians/Others
60%
Latinos
50%
Blacks
40%
32.1
30%
Harris Fort Bend Montgomery (N=4,255,830) (N=628,443) (N=485,225)
0%
9.9
Adults 25 years and older
21.3 27.9 Graduate or professional degree
26.7
29.5 28.0
23.7 17.9
20% 10%
14.4
18.7
70%
Anglos
35.6
10.3
20.8 Harris
Bachelor's degree Some college Associate's degree,
25.4
High school graduate Less than high school
11.8
14.0
Fort Bend
Montgomery
FIGURE 9: COUNTY DIFFERENCES IN BELIEFS ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY (2015) Harris
100 90 80 70
Fort Bend 73
73
67
60
60
60
63 53
71
70
63
67
54
Montgomery
49
50
54 45
40 30 20 10 0
Admit more or about the same number of legal immigrants as in the last 10 years.
The increasing immigration into this country mostly strengthens American culture.
The increasing ethnic diversity brought about by immigration is a good thing.
Favor granting illegal immigrants in U.S. a path to legal citizenship.
Ratings of the relations among ethnic groups as either “good” or “excellent.”
© 2015 The 34th Annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
11
FIGURE 10: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PEOPLE IN THREE COUNTIES (2015) Harris
Fort Bend
Montgomery
8.0
11.4 28.1
24.6 16.8
13.0
20.9
14.8
Economy
Traffic
27.8
40.4
23.8
21.2
18.4
10.0
DK/RF
20.8
Crime
All other concerns
FIGURE 11: COUNTY DIFFERENCES IN THE PREFERENCE FOR “WALKABLE URBANISM” (2015) 100
Harris
90
Fort Bend
80
Montgomery
70 60 50 40
49 39
40
41
37
34
38
43
49
54 42
38
43
45
45
30 20 10 0
Prefer area with mix of developments, including homes, shops and restaurants.
Visited Houston’s urban amenities three or more times in the past year.
Percent who own a bicycle.
Percent wishing they could ride a bicycle more often.
Improving public transportation is the best solution to traffic problems.
FIGURE 12: POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION IN THE THREE COUNTIES (2015) 100% 90% 80%
32
41
70% 60%
53
23
50%
Republicans
18
40%
Independent/Other/DK 18
30% 20%
45
41 29
10% 0%
Democrats
Harris
Fort Bend
Montgomery
Š 2015 The 34th Annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
13
FIGURE 13: COUNTY DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES (2015) 100
Harris
90
Fort Bend
80
Montgomery
70
62
60 50
75 66
45
50
47
40
40
37 28
30
31
56
30
20 10 0
Government is trying to do too much that should be left to individuals and businesses.
"Very concerned" about environmental issues in general.
Favor a law making it more difficult to obtain an abortion.
Favor the death penalty for persons convicted of murder.
FIGURE 14: ABORTION ATTITUDES IN HARRIS COUNTY (1999–2015) 100%
63%
61% 59%
0% 1999
58%
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
Opposed to “a law that would make it more difficult for a woman to obtain an abortion.” Believe that “abortion is morally wrong.”
2015
© 2015 The 34th Annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
15
FIGURE 15: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE “RIGHT TO CHOOSE” AMONG THE ANTI-ABORTION RESPONDENTS (2015) 70 60
60 50
52
49
46
63
60
60
46
47
39
40 30 20 10 0
Male
Female
Less than $37,500
$37,500− $75,000
More than $75,000
Democrats
Independent
Republicans
Attended Did not attend religious religious services. services in the past month.
PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS
FIGURE 16: SUPPORT FOR GAY RIGHTS (1991–2015) 70
Favor: “Homosexuals being legally permitted to adopt children.”
60
Agree: “Marriages between homosexuals should be given the same legal status as heterosexual marriages.”
50
47 40
40 30
10
32
91
35
27
93
96
42
38
47 45
43
51
51
14
15
43
37
35
28
27
17
41
37
31
20
49
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
FIGURE 17: SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY (1993–2015) 80
75 66
70
PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS
60
62
67
58
66
57 56
50 40
34
41
32
39
30
30
28
The death penalty, and not life imprisonment, “should generally be the penalty for persons convicted of first-degree murder.”
10 0
37
Favor “the death penalty for persons convicted of murder.”
20
93
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
YEAR OF SURVEY
18
61
58 60
© 2015 The 34th Annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
THE NINE-COUNTY HOUSTON METROPOLITAN REGION
HARRIS COUNTY AREA: 1,777 SQ. MI. POPULATION: 4,225,830
MONTGOMERY COUNTY AREA: 1,077 SQ. MI. POPULATION: 485,225
LIBERTY
AUSTIN WALLER CHAMBERS
GALVESTON
FORT BEND COUNTY AREA: 885 SQ. MI. POPULATION: 628,443
BRAZORIA
SOURCE: ACS 2013 (THREE–YEAR ESTIMATES), U.S. CENSUS BUREAU