Neighborhood in Houston, Harris County

Living in Gulfton, Houston

D+

221st of 320areas in Houston
Overall score 25 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Houston overall: D+

Gulfton is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 14,300 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 221st of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on errands and things to do and worst on health.

  • Lots of parks
  • Jobs and income scores low (8 of 100)
  • Education levels scores low (15 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.2 mi
Pharmacy0.2 mi
Park0.4 mi
Cafe0.5 mi
Restaurant0.1 mi
Gym0.2 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.5 mi
Childcare0.5 mi
Library0.8 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
14,330
Median rent
$1,150
Median home value
$506,000
Household income
$48,100
Average commute
28 min
Homes owned
12%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Gulfton

Gulfton is a neighborhood in Houston with about 14,300 residents, homes built around 1980, mostly rented (88% of homes) and 36% of households with children.

Our grade for Gulfton is D+. That puts it 221st of 320 areas we grade in Houston, a city that gets a D+ overall.

Pros of living in Gulfton

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $1,150, 16% lower than the Houston median.
  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.2 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.
  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about 0.4 miles away.

Cons of living in Gulfton

  • Higher poverty. 31% of residents live below the poverty line, against 20% across Houston.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of river flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes as very high in this part of town.

Gulfton report card

Each grade compares Gulfton with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade D+

    Median rent $1,150, homes cost 10.5x income.

    30 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D-

    Median household income $48,100, 7.6% unemployed.

    8 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade B-

    Nearby schools average 84 of 100 on the state rating.

    64 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 884 violent crimes per 100k, 3,828 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade A-

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    83 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade B+

    Average commute 28 min, 7.3% work from home.

    72 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D-

    22% have a bachelor’s degree.

    15 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade F

    37% of adults uninsured.

    5 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade F

    12% of homes owner-occupied.

    8 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade D+

    87% of homes have broadband.

    27 of 100 vs TX areas

Gulfton compared with Houston

Better than Houston

  • Median rent: $1,15016% lower than Houston ($1,361)
  • Workers who walk, bike or take transit: 12%6 points higher than Houston (5.7%)
  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 52%2 points lower than Houston (54%)

Worse than Houston

  • Home value to income: 10.5x145% higher than Houston (4.3x)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 12%30 points lower than Houston (42%)
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 22%15 points lower than Houston (37%)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • CRodriguez ElementaryElementary, Houston ISD0.5 mi
  • APin Oak MiddleMiddle, Houston ISD1.2 mi
  • AChallenge Early College High SchoolHigh, Houston ISD1.3 mi

Cost of living in Gulfton

Median rent in Gulfton is $1,150 a month, 16% lower than the Houston median. A household would need about $46,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $506,000, 82% higher than the Houston median, which means a monthly payment of about $3,460 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median rent16% lower than Houston$1,150$1,361$1,403
Median home value82% higher than Houston$506,000$277,800$283,800
Home value to income145% higher than Houston10.5x4.3x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent2 points lower than Houston52%54%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them30 points lower than Houston12%42%63%
Vacant homes1 points higher than Houston12%11%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Houston198019821992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$3,460
Mortgage payment
$2,770
Property tax
$690
Median rent, for comparison
$1,150

Based on a $506,000 home in Gulfton, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median household income26% lower than Houston$48,100$64,813$78,476
Unemployment rateAbout the same as Houston7.6%7.0%5.3%
People below the poverty line11 points higher than Houston31%20%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher15 points lower than Houston22%37%34%
Average commute3% higher than Houston28 min27 min27 min
Workers who work from home6 points lower than Houston7.3%13%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit6 points higher than Houston12%5.7%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet4 points lower than Houston87%90%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery high
  • Coastal floodingVery low
  • HurricanesVery high
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailLow
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresVery low
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in Gulfton

Under 1826%
18 to 3435%
35 to 6430%
65 and over9.5%
Race and ethnicity
White13%
Hispanic or Latino69%
Black9.8%
Asian6.1%
Other or more than one race2.5%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Houston

  1. 1A+Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial ParkMedian rent $3,230
  2. 2A+Boulevard OaksMedian rent $1,940
  3. 3A+BraeswoodMedian rent $1,360
  4. 4A+Washington Avenue CorridorMedian rent $2,080
  5. 5A+Mandell PlaceMedian rent $1,210
  6. 6A+Westwood GroveMedian rent $2,100
  7. 7A+Kings Point
  8. 8A+Palisades ParkMedian rent $3,020

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. D+Ivory Palm EstatesMcAllen
  2. DSouth Dallas-Fair Park PIDDallas
  3. D+BrentwoodOdessa

Questions about Gulfton

Is Gulfton a good place to live?

Gulfton is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 14,300 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 221st of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on errands and things to do and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in Gulfton?

Renters in Gulfton pay a median of $1,150 a month, 16% lower than the Houston median. The median home is worth $506,000, 82% higher than the Houston median. A median home costs 10.5x the median household income, compared with 4.3x across Houston.

What schools serve Gulfton?

The closest rated public schools are Rodriguez Elementary (elementary, rated C), Pin Oak Middle (middle, rated A) and Challenge Early College High School (high, rated A). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area is built from 12 Census block groups closest to the Gulfton name on the map, so its edges are approximate. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.