The Clear Lake/Bay Area's two traditional industry clusters, aerospace and specialty chemical have been joined in recent years by growing health care, maritime and tourism sectors. Health care has been buoyed by the population growth in the area and the arrival of new facilities to provide for residents. Maritime growth in the area abutting Galveston Bay is largely attributable to the dominance of the region's port infrastructure. The waterfront along with popular recreation centers like the Kemah Boardwalk and of course Space Center Houston have propelled growth on the tourism/hospitality front. 

The area located about 20 miles southeast of Downtown also boasts the nation’s third largest concentration of recreational boating centers as well as an array of amateur sports, outdoor activities, beaches and parks.

Workforce within 5 miles: 79,700
Median area home value: $234,900
Median household income: $73,900

Just 30 miles northwest of Downtown along US 290, Cypress area offers a pro-business culture with a diversified work force and a variety of educational institutions. A historically rural community, the Cypress of today has become one of the most sought-after suburban residential areas in the region thanks to abundant and relatively affordable housing.  

Major industries in the area include manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, education and health care.

Workforce within 5 miles: 436,700
Median area home value: $264,000
Median household income: $80,700

With its soaring skyscrapers, dynamic entertainment scene and growing residential population, Downtown Houston has become one of the most active central business districts in the nation.

More than 50 million square feet of office space is concentrated in dozens of buildings across Downtown. Approximately 3,500 businesses operate within the district including the headquarters of ten Fortune 500 companies, among the highest concentrations in the state of Texas. Those businesses employ more than 150,000 workers. Beyond business, Downtown's ongoing revitalization includes more restaurant, nightlife and entertainment options as well as urban parks, four professional sports stadiums and thousands of new residential units that are helping create a more energized district. 

Workforce within five miles: 764,700
Median area household income: $61,300

The Energy Corridor is a roughly seven-mile long district running on both sides of I-10 between Beltway 8 and the Grand Parkway. It's located immediately north of the Westchase business district. A multitude of energy companies, energy services firms and businesses in other sectors have offices in the Corridor and its more than 26 million square feet of office space.

Workforce within 5 miles: 272,200
Median area home value: $310,000
Median household income: $74,600

Tech companies, startups and other companies will enjoy the synergy of Houston's emerging Innovation Corridor in Midtown. 

The Innovation Corridor is at the center of an extraordinarily powerful social and economic convergence. The four-mile-long Corridor is linked by light-rail, bike lanes, and sidewalks and offers easy access to key industry and institutional players along with an unparalleled array of amenities.

At the center of the Corridor is the Innovation District, clustered around a historic art deco building at the southern end of Midtown that is now The Ion. Rice University is developing the 9.4-acre Innovation District that will bring the area's entrepreneurial, corporate and academic communities together. A number of groups including the nonprofit Houston Exponential will take up residence in the development once it's complete.

Stretching from Downtown south through the Medical Center, the four-mile-long Innovation Corridor offers easy access to key industry and institutional players and an unparalleled array of amenities.

Workforce within 5 miles: 240,300
Median area home value: $406,000
Median household income: $78,100

Kingwood and the Lake Houston area offer an ideal location for businesses looking for a corporate headquarters or a major logistics hub. 

Located roughly 30 miles north of Downtown and just northeast of Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Lake Houston community and the surrounding area offers a rich environment for residents seeking a great value with high quality schools, trails, parks and lake amenities. It's also a great logistics hub for companies looking to be in close proximity to the airport and Port Houston.

Workforce within 5 miles: 86,500
Median area home value: $245,000
Median household income: $90,200

The Texas Medical Center employs over 106,000 people, hosts 10 million patient encounters annually, and has a gross domestic product of $25 billion.

The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a 2.1-square-mile medical district and neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas. By square footage it’s the eight largest business district in the nation. Over sixty medical institutions, largely concentrated in a triangular area between Brays Bayou, Rice University, and Hermann Park, are members of the Texas Medical Center Corporation—a non-profit umbrella organization—which constitutes the largest medical complex in the world.

TMC has an extremely high density of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research. TMC is serviced by the METRORail Red Line which connects the district to Downtown Houston and NRG Park along the city's Innovation Corridor. 

Workforce within 5 miles: 254,300
Median household income: $81,900

The 50-mile Houston Ship Channel serves as one of the region's top trade gateways to the world. 

Stretching 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the heart of city, the Houston Ship Channel is the largest trade hub for the metropolitan region. Originally built in 1914 along the pathway of Buffalo Bayou, the Channel has been widened and deepened over the decades. Today the channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between Houston and the rest of the world. Dozens of companies, from agriculture traders to petrochemical manufacturers, have operations along the Ship Channel allowing them to move goods and services to and from the metro region.

Workforce within five miles:160,900
Median area home value: $145,000
Median household income: $47,700

Numerous office and residential towers coupled with abundant retail and restaurant options make Uptown one of the most sought-after areas of the city.

Once known affectionately as the Galleria area thanks to the eponymous mall, Uptown Houston today is a dense business and retail district just six miles to the west of Downtown. Centered along Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer Road, the district's abundant skyscrapers and bustling action make it a prestigious address for many companies that call Houston home. Uptown covers roughly 1,000 acres and is among the top 20 business and shopping districts in the nation. 

Workforce within 5 miles: 319,100
Median area home value: $265,000
Median household income: $94,200