FIGURE 2.4: POPULATION City limits only, not including ETJ
Today, Pearland is a thriving suburban city with a diverse and growing population. The city's close proximity to Houston is attractive to people who want the amenities of the big city without living in it. As of the most recent census estimate from July 1, 2021, Pearland’s population within the City limits is approximately 126,000 people— making it the third-largest city by population in the Greater Houston area. The city has a diverse population, with people from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. In recent years, the city
125,828
Demographics An understanding of demographic trends plays an important role in the comprehensive planning process. This section reports the existing age distribution, ethnic diversity, education attainment, household income, and public safety indicators. This demographic data provides a baseline for community planning and policy decisions in subsequent chapters. The demographics described in this section are further summarized in the Psychographics section in Chapter 7: Economic Development. That section helps by putting a face on the numbers and summarizing the character of the community. AGE DISTRIBUTION Figure 2.6 shows the number of residents per age cohort over a decade in Pearland. The 0-19 age cohort show young children/adults that are generally still of school age. The 20-34 age cohort can represent multiple life stages, including obtaining higher education, young families, and the beginning work force. Age 35-64 represent most prominent group in the workforce and families. Age 65+ represent the senior citizens that may be retired from the work force. This Census Bureau population data shows that as the population has increased, the ratios of the age cohorts are relatively stable. The 65+ cohort has incrementally increased 4% over the last decade, while the 0-19 cohort and the 20-34 cohort both decreased 2% incrementally. In summary, Pearland has more retirees and less school-aged children with young parents over the last decade. A solution to address the decreasing cohort of school aged-children and the young workforce is to implement a policy that encourages Pearland to provide more housing that is attainable. For more information see Chapter 6: Housing.
91,252
37,640
18,697
13,200
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
has seen an influx of Hispanic and Asian residents, which has diversified the population. In terms of age, the population of Pearland is relatively young, with a median age of 35.3 years. This is significantly younger than the median age in the US as a whole, which is 38.2 years. This youthful population should be the focus for Pearland's future growth, as young families and professionals are searching for new opportunities and a high quality of life. As the next section describes, however, Pearland has a smaller share of Brazoria County's younger population, indicating that young people in the area are finding their needs met in neighboring communities. POPULATION PROJECTIONS FIGURE 2.5: PEARLAND'S POPULATION PROJECTIONS Census Population H-GAC Growth Forecast
Looking ahead, it is clear that the population of Pearland will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years. As the city continues to develop, it is imperative that Pearland continues to attract new residents to maintain its tax base and quality of life. Figure 2.5 shows the historic population growth in green. It also depicts multiple different population projections for future years. Given the uncertainty of projections, multiple methods are presented in the chart to account for different possible
Pearland City Limits Population
TWDB Population Projection
FIGURE 2.6: AGE COHORTS
50M 45M 40M 35M 30M 25M 20M 15M 10M 5M 0
AGE 65+ AGE 35-64 AGE 20-34 AGE 0-19
13,405 (11%)
9,053 (9%)
48,499 (40%)
5,957 (7%)
41,402 (41%)
32,519 (39%)
22,796 (19%)
20,345 (20%)
1940
1960
1980
2000 2020 2040 2060
16,963 (21%)
scenarios. The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), which uses a regional demographic model for projections based on future land uses and economic activity, has a forecast for the general area of Pearland that indicates the city may be reaching the height of its growth spurt. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) uses a more linear projection method and does not show a decline in growth rate.
37,909 (31%)
30,924 (30%)
27,141 (33%)
YEAR 2010
YEAR 2015
YEAR 2021
PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
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Chapter 2
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