Houston, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts are two large cities in their respective states.
Whether you’re planning to move, take a vacation, or are just curious about these two cities, you may wonder about how they differ from each other.
Considering that Boston is on the eastern side of the United States and Texas is in the south, there are already remarkable differences between them.
Knowing the differences between these two cities can help you determine which you want to vacation to, move to, or just understand better.
Here are a few differences between Houston and Boston.
Houston Vs. Boston (What’s The Difference?)
1. Capital And City
One of the key differences between Houston and Boston is that Houston is only a large city whereas Boston is the capital of Massachusetts.
The area that Boston now encompasses has had people living in it since at least 2400 BC.
However, after white settlers came and started founding colonies, many of the indigenous people died from either smallpox or violence.
That said, it was the Puritans who first decided to settle in Boston.
Originally, they named the area Tremontaine for the three hills that made up the area.
The Puritans decided to rename it Boston for their homeland back in England.
Over time, both the Boston Latin School and Harvard University opened.
These schools would teach some of the most important figures in American history.
Those who attended were Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.
It was also in Boston that some of the first stirrings of the Revolutionary War occurred.
When America claimed its independence, Boston was one of the first cities to become a capital of a newly-formed and confirmed state.
It’d take a bit longer for Houston to become a city.
The state of Texas exchanged through many different hands before eventually becoming a state of the United States.
Shortly after the war with Mexico, in which Texas won its independence, two brothers named John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen bought 6,600 acres of land.
It only cost them $10,000.
They began it as a trading post.
They named it after Sam Houston, a general who was key to the success of Texas over Mexico.
Houston eventually became the president of Texas and declared Houston as the capital of the Republic of Texas.
That would change in 1846 after Texas became part of the United States.
This was also the year when the state’s capital was moved to Austin.
While Boston has remained the capital of Massachusetts, Houston eventually lost to Austin.
2. Population
A lot of information and analysis can come from looking at population trends.
It can tell you whether people find a particular city worth investing their time and money in.
If people don’t think the city is going to serve them well, then they’re not likely to settle there.
Even current residents may move out if they’re not satisfied with what the city is doing.
Boston and Houston have different populations.
The estimated population in Houston is 6,603,000.
This is a 1.73% increase since 2021.
Clearly, people are moving to Houston.
The city is showing enough promise to entice people to it.
The estimated population in Boston is 4,327,00.
This is a 0.28% increase since 2021.
Clearly, Boston is growing, too, but at a much slower rate than Houston.
Boston also has a smaller population than Houston.
One of the reasons Boston may be growing slower than Houston is its size.
As old as Boston is, it was likely laid out during a time when expansion wasn’t given its proper due.
Its location on the ocean also takes away a portion of land that the city could use to expand.
Since it’s unable to expand, it can only house so many people.
That also means housing and rental prices are likely high.
Since there isn’t much room for more housing, people can only buy what’s already there.
With only a few people selling at a time, it makes the demand for those homes high and increases home prices.
That can discourage many people from moving to Boston.
Houston, on the other hand, has a lot of space to grow.
It can accommodate a large population.
There are likely other factors at play, too, which make Houston a more attractive place to live than Boston.
3. Average Age Group
Knowing the average age in any city can also help you determine the kind of city that it is.
Cities that have an older age group living in them are likely retirement areas.
They’ll have certain services and activities geared towards senior citizens since they’re the largest population in the area.
If you have a younger age group making up the majority, however, you likely have a diverse array of businesses and entertainment.
The average age group in Houston is 32.9.
It’s a relatively young crowd that makes up the majority of Houston.
The average age group in Boston is 32.
Both cities are very close when it comes to the average age in each.
However, Houston has a slightly older age group by a few months.
That said, whether you’re traveling to Houston or Boston, you’re sure to find a young age group around.
That’s likely because both cities have large universities in them.
You might consider them both college towns.
Once the students graduate from college, some choose to settle in the city since they made contacts or friends there.
Due to both cities having younger age groups in them as the majority, you’ll also find businesses and entertainment geared towards that group.
4. Land Area
Another difference between Houston and Boston is the amount of land and water area that both possess.
Knowing how much land each city claims can tell you a lot about its ability to grow and accommodate its residents.
Houston has a land area of 637 square miles.
Boston has a land area of 48.3 square miles.
Clearly, Houston has considerably more land than Boston.
This likely impacts how many people can live in Houston as well as other important variables like the values of commercial real estate and housing.
Since Houston has more land available, there can be more housing projects.
Since they have a decent supply of land, they’re able to meet demand a bit more easily.
With lower housing prices, people are more likely to move there.
Boston, on the other hand, doesn’t have that much land.
They have to make do with the amount of land that they do possess.
Since it isn’t that large of an area, it means there’s a very high demand for commercial real estate and housing.
Without spare land to build more housing projects, the supply is low while the demand is high.
That makes housing prices high which also means fewer people are looking to move there.
5. Water Area
Both Houston and Boston also have different water areas.
This is important for a few reasons.
The amount of water that the city possesses can determine how much water it can offer its residents.
When problems like drought occur, the city that has the most water area is going to last the longest.
Water area can also determine the city’s ability to trade via water networks.
For example, if a city has a large area of water, it’s likely next to a river, lake, or even the ocean.
This allows it to become a major hub of trade.
Finally, large water areas also bring extra entertainment.
Residents are able to relax and play on the beach or swim in the water.
They can fish or drive boats.
Houston has a water area of 29.4 square miles.
Boston has a water area of 41.3 square miles.
Clearly, Boston has more water area than Houston.
That makes sense since Boston is right off the Atlantic Ocean.
Houston is just off the Galveston Bay which feeds into the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s a major hub of naval trade.
However, Houston doesn’t have quite as much ownership of water as Boston.
In fact, Boston owns almost as much water area as it does land area.
6. Population Makeup
The makeup of a population can also tell you a few things about it.
If there’s an even spread of different ethnicities, the city is quite diverse.
This likely means that there are plenty of opportunities for everyone.
If there one ethnic group is predominant over another, this might indicate some inequalities are occurring since minorities aren’t able to get a strong footing in that city.
In Houston, the primary population is Hispanic at 44.5%.
The second-largest population is White at 24.9%.
The third-largest population is Black at 22.4%.
In Boston, things are quite different.
The primary population in Boston is White at 44.9%.
The second-largest population is Black at 22.7%.
The third-largest population is Hispanic at 19.4%.
Since the largest population in Houston is Hispanic, you’re likely to see a lot of restaurants, businesses, and services that are geared toward them.
It’s also likely that Spanish is one of the major languages in the city.
In Boston, since the primary population is White, you’re likely to see restaurants, businesses, and services geared toward them.
It’s also likely that the major language in Boston is English.
Another interesting thing about the populations in Houston and Boston is how large or small the gaps are between each other.
In Houston, there’s quite a large gap between Hispanics and other ethnicities.
However, there’s not that much difference between White populations and Black populations.
In Boston, although there’s a larger number of White people in the city, there are smaller numbers of other ethnicities compared to each other.
7. Marriage And Divorce Rates
The marriage and divorce rates in a city can also tell you a bit about the residents.
High marriage rates mean that there are plenty of people dating and finding love.
High divorce rates indicate that those relationships may not be the best ones.
In Houston, the married population is 44.8%.
In Boston, the married population is 32.6%.
Clearly, in Houston, there is a larger number of married couples.
This makes sense since Houston also has a slightly older age group living in it.
It’s more likely for people to get married as they’re older.
High marriage percentages may also indicate the presence of strong, religious, beliefs.
For example, couples may face more pressure to get married in a city where a certain religion that advocates marriage is popular.
If the same couple lived in a city where the religion isn’t as popular, they might not feel as much pressure to marry.
The fact that the married population is almost 50% in Houston also means that almost every other person you meet in Houston is in a married relationship.
The percentage of divorced people in Houston is 10%, while in Boston, it is 7.5%.
Houston also has a higher number of divorced people in the city.
That makes some sense since Houston has a higher number of married people in it.
Some of those people are inevitably going to get a divorce.
Since Boston has a smaller population of married couples, it means there are fewer people to get divorced in the first place.
That said, Boston has a lower divorced population than Houston.
When it comes to marriage and divorce, Houston has larger rates of both.
8. Temperature And Climate
Considering that Boston is in the eastern portion of the United States and Houston is in the south, both cities are likely going to have different climates and average temperatures.
Knowing both can help you decide whether one city meets your needs more than the other when it comes to comfort.
After all, if you’re used to cooler temperatures, then living in a city that often sees temperatures over 90 might be too much.
On the flip side, if you’re used to warmer temperatures, living or visiting a city that experiences below-freezing temperatures might be uncomfortable for you.
In Houston, the average temperature range is 47 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures rarely drop below 35 degrees or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
As such, you can expect a warmer climate in Houston.
In Boston, the average temperature range is 23 degrees to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures rarely drop below 9 degrees or above 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
As such, you can experience a fluctuation of temperatures in Boston, but it’s rare for it to get as hot as it does in Houston.
The reason that both cities likely remain cool is their proximity to the ocean.
The large body of water pulls cool air from the water’s surface to the city.
When it comes to humidity, Houston has its share of it.
For 6.9 months, Houston experiences humidity levels above 50%.
It often reaches 100% from April through November.
As such, the temperatures in Houston often feel hotter because of the humidity.
The humidity in Boston is a bit milder and shorter.
It only tends to stick around for 3.3 months and only reaches humidity levels just above 80%.
When it comes to temperatures, Houston is hotter and more humid while Boston is colder.
9. Housing Prices
Another big difference between Boston and Houston is their respective housing and rental prices.
In Houston, the average price of a home is $266,964.
This is a 21.7% increase since 2021.
However, that price is still relatively cheap compared to some of the other housing prices in major cities.
The vast amount of land in Houston is likely one of the driving forces behind the cheaper housing prices.
In Boston, the average price of a home is $744,166.
This is an 8.8% increase since 2021.
Clearly, Boston has far higher housing prices than Houston.
Its lack of space is the driving force behind high housing prices.
Since Boston doesn’t have a lot of space to plan new housing developments, people looking to buy a home have to wait until someone chooses to sell their home.
Since there are a lot of people waiting, they start outbidding one another.
This also means the market is in the seller’s favor since they know a lot of residents are looking to own a home in Boston.
10. Rent
The average cost of renting an 881-square-foot apartment in Houston is $1,263.
The average cost of renting an 808-square-foot apartment in Boston is $3,634.
Clearly, rental costs are also higher in Boston.
Again, this had to do with the lack of available space.
New apartment complexes have to spend a lot of money if they want to build in the city.
To cover those costs, they have to charge their residents high rent.
Since people aren’t able to buy homes in Boston, it also means more people are looking to rent an apartment.
That increases demand and since there’s a limited number of available apartments, it allows landlords to have high rental prices.
Demand outpaces supply which leads to high prices.
In Houston, that isn’t the case.
Both housing prices and rental prices are higher in Boston.
Conclusion
Houston and Boston have a few things in common.
However, when it comes to things like temperature, land area, and housing prices, there are some clear differences.
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