Despite the county’s rapid growth, many Fort Bend residents continue to struggle with basic health needs – particularly mental health services and prenatal care – according to a new study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute and UTHealth Houston.
From 1970 to 2024, Fort Bend County has transformed from a small outpost of 50,000 people to one of the most diverse and fastest-growing communities in the nation, now home to nearly one million residents. The county is also becoming wealthier: median household income rose from about $76,000 in 2010 to $105,000 in 2023, and the number of households earning more than $150,000 nearly doubled.
But prosperity has not erased inequality. The new community health assessment, based on 3,440 households, shows that poverty is also on the rise – with more than 80,000 residents living at or below the poverty line in 2023, up from 53,000 in 2010. While many residents report good physical health, significant disparities persist across race, income, and education, the assessment shows…