HOUSTON — Residents in the Houston area identified the economy as the most significant problem facing the region, according to the 45th annual Kinder Houston Area Survey released on April 28, 2026, by researchers from Rice University, based on responses from nearly 9,000 people across Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.
The survey found that more than 20 percent of respondents said they felt financially worse off than a year earlier. Among respondents earning less than $25,000 annually, nearly 80 percent reported they could not cover an unexpected $400 expense.
Daniel Potter, director of the Houston Population Research Center and Surveys, said the region added fewer than 20,000 jobs over the past year, compared with projections of more than 70,000. The survey also showed that the share of respondents who rated job opportunities as “good or excellent” declined by nearly 30 percentage points, marking the largest single-year drop since the early 1980s oil crisis.
The survey identified crime and safety as the second most frequently cited concern. Researchers found that perceptions of safety varied based on social cohesion, or how connected respondents felt to their neighbors. Respondents with lower social cohesion reported a higher likelihood of feeling unsafe than those with higher levels of connection.
The survey also examined opinions on political and social issues, including gun control, book restrictions and marijuana legalization. Respondents correctly identified the views of members of the opposing political party on two out of nine issues on average.
