RANK #967 / 1001 NAT · #67 / 72 TX · POP 61,552
1YR FORECAST: -3.0%
5YR OUTLOOK: +12%
Waller County, Texas, is often recognized for Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black university that significantly shapes the area's cultural and educational landscape. Located about 40 miles northwest of downtown Houston, the county offers a blend of rural charm and accessibility to urban amenities. Major highways like U.S. Highway 290 and Interstate 10 provide routes for commuting, with travel times to Houston ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, though rush hour can double this. The landscape features open spaces, agricultural areas, and natural features like lakes and ponds, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation such as hiking. Notable towns include Hempstead, the county seat, and Brookshire.
Life in Waller County combines a small-town atmosphere with increasing development. The area attracts families seeking affordability, open spaces, and a community-focused environment. Waller County's economy is experiencing growth, driven by investments in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. This includes expansion in manufacturing, logistics, and energy services. Waller Independent School District is also expanding to accommodate a growing student population.
Waller County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -2.0% YoY, population +3.5%, wages +4.7%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 11.0x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Parliament Solar Project
Parliament Solar LLC (EnCap Investments and Mercuria Energy)
|
$640M | Under Construction |
|
H-E-B Distribution Campus
H-E-B
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
Ochoa Energy Storage
|
$260M | Planned |
|
Beacon Hill Master-Planned Community
Long Lake Ltd. / Wolff Companies
|
$250M | Under Construction |
|
Attwater Master-Planned Community
Bold Fox Development
|
$150M | Under Construction |
|
TMEIC Manufacturing Facility
TMEIC Corporation Americas
|
$65M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Waller County scores just 2/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #967 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +4.6% and median household income of $80,397 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Housing in Waller County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $318,700 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.25, with rents averaging $1,169/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Waller County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +3.5% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +4.6% clip. Home values shifted -2.0% in the past year.
In significant numbers — 7.68% of Waller County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.