Pearland ( ) is a city in

Brazoria County Brazoria County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 372,031. The county seat is Angleton. Brazoria County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan stat ...

, with portions extending into Fort Bend and

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...

counties, in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, United States. The city of Pearland is a principal city within the metropolitan statistical area. At the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 125,828, up from a population of 91,252 at the 2010 census. Pearland's population growth rate from 2000 to 2010 was 142 percent, which ranked Pearland as the 15th-fastest-growing city in the U.S. during that time period, compared to other cities with a population of 10,000 or greater in 2000. Pearland is the third-largest city in the Greater Houston area after

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

and

Pasadena, Texas Pasadena () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Harris County. It is part of the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 151,950, making it the 23rd most populous city in Texas and the second mos ...

History

Pearland had its beginnings near a siding switch on the

Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (GC&SF) was chartered in Texas in 1873 to build a railroad from Galveston, Texas, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. By 1886, it had built from Galveston to a junction in Temple, Texas, which was founded by the co ...

in 1882. When a post office was established in 1893, the community was named "Mark Belt". On September 24, 1894, the plat of "Pear-Land" was filed with the Brazoria County courthouse by Witold von Zychlinski, a man of

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

nobility. At the time Pearland had many fruits harvested by residents. Zychlinski saw the pear trees and decided that "Pearland" would make a good name for the community. In the 1800s, Pearland consisted of

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

. Residents harvested fruit and vegetables such as cantaloupes, corn, figs, pears and watermelons. Pearland was promoted by developers Allison & Richey Land Company as an "agricultural Eden". The first subdivision was called "Suburban Gardens". The

Galveston hurricane of 1900 The 1900 Galveston hurricane, also known as the Great Galveston hurricane and the Galveston Flood, and known regionally as the Great Storm of 1900 or the 1900 Storm, was a deadly and catastrophic Atlantic hurricane which became the List of di ...

and the

Galveston hurricane of 1915 The 1915 Galveston hurricane was a tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage in the Galveston area in August 1915. Widespread damage was also documented throughout its path across the Caribbean Sea and the interior of the United States. ...

destroyed most of the city's fruit trees and slowed growth for a considerable period of time, and caused a period of

desertification Desertification is a type of gradual land degradation of Soil fertility, fertile land into arid desert due to a combination of natural processes and human activities. The immediate cause of desertification is the loss of most vegetation. This i ...

in the area. In 1914, with agriculture rebounding and the end of desertification, Pearland had a population of 400, but a devastating freeze in 1918 was another setback to the local farming enterprises. Oil was discovered nearby in 1934, which led to the development of the Hastings Oilfield, though it did not spur much growth, as the population fluctuated between 150 and 350. In the 1930s and 1940s, Pearland had many

dance hall Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for Dance, dancing, but usually refers to a specific type of twentieth-century venue, with dance clubs (nightclubs) becoming more popular towards the end of the century. The palais de danse was a term ap ...

s and beer joints that entertained people from the

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

and Manvel oil fields. From the 1970s, the town has grown to its present-day population. By 1990, the city limits had extended into Harris County. In the 1990s, home developers began buying large tracts of land, changing the geography of the city. Former rice fields filled with houses. The historic town center of Pearland is at the intersection of

Texas State Highway 35 State Highway 35 (SH 35) is a state highway near the southeastern edge of Texas, United States, that is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It runs primarily south–north, paralleling the Gulf of Mexico for much o ...

/Main and Broadway. West Pearland has a lot of suburban development, while East Pearland has older houses and, according to Maggie Galehouse of the ''

Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...

'', Pearland's "rural roots still show" in the east side. Pearland's main east–west corridor is Farm to Market Road 518/Broadway.

Geography

Pearland is within northern Brazoria County at (29.554349, −95.295959), south of the city of Houston. Portions of the city extend north into Harris County, and a smaller portion extends west into Fort Bend County. The city is bordered by Houston and Brookside Village to the north, by Manvel to the south, Almeda Rd/ FM 521 to the west and by

Friendswood Friendswood is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. The city lies in Galveston and Harris counties. As of the 2020 census, the population of Friendswood was 41,213. History Friendswood ...

to the east. Downtown Houston is approximately to the north of the city. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Pearland has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.94%, is water. In 2009 the city reported that the combined area of the city limits and of nearby

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

s, including Country Place and Silverlake, was ."FAQ's."
"Who Can I Call" 2009–2011
.'' City of Pearland. June 2009. Page 9 (9/12). Retrieved January 23, 2010.

Neighborhoods

Eighty-three percent of Pearland is residential, which is a major contributing factor to the high population. The city is home to many master-planned communities; Sunrise Lakes,

Southern Trails Southern Trails is a master planned community located west of State Highway 288 in Pearland, Texas, United States. Developed by Ashton Woods, Newmark Homes, Taylor Morrison, Coventry Homes, and Perry Homes, the neighborhood includes a recreation ...

, Southdown, Lakes of Highland Glen, and

Shadow Creek Ranch Shadow Creek Ranch is a planned community in Pearland, Texas, United States. Shadow Creek Ranch, which has of space, is west of State Highway 288 (Texas), State Highway 288,Evans, Thayer (''Chronicle'' Correspondent).Pearland's housing market ...

are among the most popular master-planned communities in Brazoria County. Country Place and Silverlake are in

s near Pearland.

Demographics

At the 2010 United States census, the city's population was 91,252, a 142% increase over the 2000 population of 37,640. Pearland's government stated in 2009 that the estimated population in the city limits was 91,000, and that city population and the population of nearby

s, including Country Place and Silverlake, was 125,000 altogether. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 125,828 people, 42,098 households, and 32,177 families residing in the city. At the census of 2000, there had been 37,640 people, 13,192 households, and 10,659 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,922 housing units at an average density of . The median income for a household in the city as of 2000 was $64,156, and the median income for a family was $70,748 (these figures had risen to $83,706 and $92,096 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $49,359 versus $34,570 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,306. About 3.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 estimates determined Pearland had 41,507 households with an average of 2.93 persons per household. Residents of Pearland had an owner-occupied housing rate of 75.9%. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $244,800 and the median gross rent was $1,413. The median household income from 2015 to 2019 was $104,504 and the per capita income was $42,211. Roughly 3.5% of the local population lived at or below the poverty line. The population density as of 2010 was 1,940.9 people per square mile.

Race and ethnicity

The racial makeup of the city as of the 2010 census was 62.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 16.4%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.5% Native American, 12.4% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 6.0% from some other race, and 2.7% two or more races. The

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

population, including persons of any race, was 20.5% of the total population, and

non-Hispanic whites Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

made up 48.8%. In 2019, 39.0% of Pearland was non-Hispanic white, 14.7% Black or African American, 1.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 15.0% Asian, 0.9%

multiracial The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more races (human categorization), races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicity, ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used ...

, and 29.3% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The racial makeup of the city in 2000 was 82.6%

, 5.3%

, 0.4% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 0.04%

, 6.1% "some other race", and 1.8% "two or more races".

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 16.2% of the population. By 2010, the city became ethnically and racially

majority minority A majority-minority or minority-majority area is a term used to refer to a subdivision in which one or more racial, ethnic, and/or religious minorities (relative to the whole country's population) make up a majority of the local population. Ter ...

. At least 62 languages are spoken in Pearland public schools.Galehouse, Maggie.
A small town with a lot of people
" ''

''. July 16, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.

Religion

Nearly 60% of the local population claim religious affiliation as of 2020.

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

is the largest religion in Pearland and the surrounding Greater Houston metropolitan area.

Baptists Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

formed the largest Christian group followed by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

then the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...

. Large non-Christian religious groups included

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

, and

eastern religions The Eastern religions are the religions which originated in East, South and Southeast Asia and thus have dissimilarities with Western and African religions. Eastern religions include: * East Asian religions such as Confucianism, Taoism, Tengrism ...

including

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

. St. Helen Catholic Church of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

was established in 1966. Its previous church building had a capacity of 900, it was building a new sanctuary, with a capacity of 15,000 and a cost of $7 million. The expansion plans also added parking spaces and installed a bridal facility. The sanctuary construction was to begin fall 2002 and parking construction was to begin summer 2002. In 2002, 4,000 families were members, and in 2016 this had increased to 6,000, making it the largest Catholic church in Brazoria County. The property includes a K–8 school, St. Helen Catholic School. There is another Catholic parish with property in the Pearland city limits; St. Luke the Evangelist Church maintains the Cenacle Learning Center (CLC) in Pearland, while the main campus is in an

in Harris County. - To verify whether a place is in the city of Houston, one must check it against a map like this
as the U.S. Postal Service does not give "city names" to addresses that necessarily match municipal boundaries
New Harvest Christian Fellowship, a

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...

church established in 1999 with 60 members, was established by Keith Anderson. It first held services at Challenger Elementary School before moving into a 100-seat, worship center. On April 7, 2019, it was to convert the previous sanctuary into a youth ministry building and to open a new sanctuary. It is affiliated with the

Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...

. Shadycrest Baptist Church's previous sanctuary had a capacity of around 270–275. By 2011 it was having a new sanctuary built. The expected cost was $4,700,000. New Hope Church, an independent Christian church, started in Pearland in 1989 with 100 in attendance. As of 2022, the church had grown to five campuses with over 10,000 worshippers. Chabad Pearland Jewish Center is the first

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

center of worship in Pearland, established by Yossi and Esty Zaklikofsky in 2009. In addition to Pearland, it also serves

Alvin ''Alvin'' (DSV-2) is a crewed deep-ocean research submersible owned by the United States Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The original vehicle was built by General Mills' Electro ...

and

. The Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland had its property purchased in 1978 and was established in 1979. Pat Turner of the ''Houston Chronicle'' wrote that the initial facility "was barely big enough for one person to stand in while performing worship services ( pooja)." New facilities were established circa 1995. From its founding in 1979 to the opening of the Chabad Pearland Jewish Center in 2009, it was the only non-Christian place of worship in Pearland. Rewake Inc., an independent Christian group, was founded in 2016 and chaired by Pastor Phil Brown. The group conducted services at the Bakfish Brewing Co. brewery in Pearland. Dana Burke of the ''

Bay Area Citizen A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

'' described it as non-traditional. The Pearland Islamic Center, about north of Farm to Market Road 518, is a part of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston. It began construction December 2010 with an anticipated completion time of May 2011. It opened c. 2012. By 2016, the leadership was considering expanding the mosque, with June 2016 being the scheduled month of the start of construction. The mosque is on a site.

Economy

Workforce and industry

Pearland's labor force and job base grew substantially with its population growth. The number of jobs in the community grew from 9,169 in 2000 to 17,552 in 2008. The total labor force that resides in the community increased from approximately 20,000 in 2000 to 45,368 in 2010. A majority of the community's labor force commutes daily into the

Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a List of neighborhoods in Houston, neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States. It is immediately south of the Houston Museum District, Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 6 ...

and other employment centers in the region. Pearland also has many people employed by

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Pearland's economy in the 2010s has helped increase its healthcare and health-related workforce.

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic The Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is a large multi-specialty clinic system located in Greater Houston with its administrative headquarters in Shadow Creek Ranch, Pearland. The clinic system is a major provider of healthcare for NASA and a center for hea ...

's new administrative office building in

was expected to open in the fall of 2013, with 800 employees. This follows two other medical manufacturing facilities: Cardiovascular Systems, which opened in 2010, and Merit Medical Systems, which began construction in 2011. The Merit project, , provides facilities for 220 research and development employees. By 2020, 50% of the city's economy relies on healthcare equipment manufacturing or medical research. Other employers are a reflection of Pearland's suburban economy, with the vast majority of it retail. According to a 2020 Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in Pearland were:

Retail and entertainment

Pearland was one of two Texas cities to average double-digit growth in retail sales from 2004 to 2009, and its retail market was the state's fastest growing over the five-year periods ending 2009, 2010, and 2011. Prominent mixed-use lifestyle and shopping complexes service residents with national retailers and dining establishments. *

Pearland Town Center Pearland Town Center is a lifestyle center concept regional shopping mall located in the city of Pearland, Texas south of Houston. Managed by CBL & Associates, the center was completed in 2008 and includes three anchor stores with room for an ...

– lifestyle center. Opened in July 2008. * Shadow Creek Town Center – retail and dining center. * The Spectrum District – Proposed developments include urban residential, office, and retail projects. * Silverlake Village Shopping Center – * The Crossing @ 288 – * Shadow Creek Market Place –

Healthcare

* Memorial Hermann Pearland * Pearland Medical Center * Reserve at SCR – Kelsey-Seybold, Memorial Herman and HCA * St. Luke's Emergency Center * Texas Children's Pediatrics – Pearland's first free charity clinic named SEVA Clinic. The nonprofit serves as a walk-in clinic for primary care cases, such as diabetes, hypertension and other non-emergency cases. SEVA Clinic is housed inside the facilities of another local nonprofit serving the city named the Pearland Neighborhood Center and is located at 2335 N. Texas Avenue Pearland, TX 77581. Since 2015, "Wobble before you Gobble", Pearland's largest Annual Health Fair is hosted by the local community. Founded by a local Primary care Physician Dr Vishalakshmi Batchu, this health fair happens around the second or third week of November at

. The event showcases several big and small healthcare facilities. Free health checkups, screenings, vaccinations, procedures, nutrition, lifestyle, are offered at the fair. Various fine arts clubs from local schools participate in the fair and showcase their talent in forms of singing, dancing, workouts, skits and exercises. Several workout specialists offer workout sessions including zumba, salsa, Bollywood, yoga and many more formats. The event is grassroots in nature, which means, it is organized by residents of Pearland.

Government and infrastructure

Elected city officials include: Mayor, Kevin Cole * Mayor Pro Tem, Tony Carbone * Councilmember, Position 1: Joseph Koza Jr. * Councilmember, Position 3: Alex Kamkar * Councilmember, Position 4: Adrian Hernandez * Councilmember, Position 5: Layni Cade * Councilmember, Position 6: Jeffrey Barry * Councilmember, Position 7: Rushi Patel The eastern portion of the city is represented in the

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in the 22nd District by Republican

Troy Nehls Troy Edwin Nehls ( ; born April 7, 1968) is an American politician and former law-enforcement officer serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district since 2021. Before his election to Congress, he served as the sheri ...

, elected in 2020. The western portion of the city is represented in the 9th district by

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), known professionally as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer. He is best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Tired of ...

. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Pearland Post Office at 3519 East Walnut Street and the Ofc. Endy Ekpanya Post Office at 2700 Cullen Boulevard.

Harris Health System The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includ ...

(formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Strawberry Health Center in

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...

for ZIP code 77089 (Harris County Pearland). The nearest public hospital is

Ben Taub General Hospital Ben Taub Hospital is a public hospital located in Houston, Texas within the Texas Medical Center. Having opened in May 1963, the hospital is owned and operated by the Harris Health System and is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students fr ...

in the

. Fort Bend County does not have a

hospital district Hospital is a Districts of Costa Rica, district of the San José (canton), San José canton, in the San José Province, San José province of Costa Rica. It is one of the four administrative units that form San José, Costa Rica, San José downto ...

. OakBend Medical Center serves as the county's charity hospital which the county contracts with.

Previous mayors

* E.T. Gibbons, c.1959-1964 * John G. Kegley, c.1965-1966 * Lloyd C. Hawkins, c.1966-1967 * D.R. Keller, c.1968-1972 * Carlton McComb, c.1973-1977 * Tom Reid, 1978-1990, 1993-2020 * Kevin Cole, 2020-present

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public

Most of Pearland is a part of the

Pearland Independent School District Pearland Independent School District is a school district based in Pearland, Texas, Pearland, Texas, United States. Pearland ISD serves most of the city of Pearland, the city of Brookside Village, Texas, Brookside Village, and unincorporated ...

. Other portions of Pearland are part of

Alvin Independent School District Alvin Independent School District is a school district based in Alvin, Texas, U.S. Alvin ISD is a large suburban school district south of Houston which includes the following areas: the majority of Alvin, Manvel, Hillcrest, Iowa Colony, L ...

(including most of

Fort Bend Independent School District Fort Bend Independent School District, also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district that operates 86 schools in Fort Bend County. Based in Sugar Land, Texas, it is the 5th most diverse school district in Texas and is the 43rd la ...

(including some of Shadow Creek Ranch),

Clear Creek Independent School District Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) is a school district based in League City, Texas, United States. The district serves most of the Clear Lake Area and some other neighboring parts of the Houston metropolitan area. CCISD is the 29 ...

Houston Independent School District The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest Public school (government funded), public school system in Texas, and the eighth-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the ci ...

, and

Pasadena Independent School District Pasadena Independent School District is a school district that is based in Pasadena, Texas, United States. Pasadena ISD serves much of southeast Harris County. The district includes most of Pasadena, South Houston, a portion of Houston (incl ...

. * All schools in Pearland ISD, including

Pearland High School Pearland High School (PHS) is an American public high school, located in Pearland, Texas, south of Houston. It is one of three high schools in the Pearland Independent School District, and serves parts of Pearland and most of the city of Br ...

and

Glenda Dawson High School Glenda Dawson High School (DHS) is a public high school in Pearland, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Pearland Independent School District serving grades 9 through 12. In 2014, the school was awarded a national rank of 1,165th by '' U.S. ...

, serve the Pearland ISD portion of Pearland. * The Alvin ISD portion is served by several elementary and middle schools as well as

Shadow Creek High School Shadow Creek High School is a public high school in the Shadow Creek Ranch area of Pearland, Texas, in Greater Houston. A part of the Alvin Independent School District (AISD), SCHS was established in 2016. The mascot is the shark. The school w ...

(in Pearland) and

Manvel High School Manvel High School is a public high school located along Texas State Highway 6 in the city of Manvel, Texas, USA. It is a part of the Alvin Independent School District located in northern Brazoria County and is classified as a 6A school by the ...

(in Manvel). * Most of the Fort Bend ISD portion is zoned to schools in Houston: Blue Ridge Elementary School,Elementary School Attendance Zones
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017. McAuliffe Middle School,Middle School Attendance Zones
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017. and Willowridge High School.High School Attendance Zones
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017. A small area is zoned to schools in Missouri City: Parks Elementary School, Lake Olympia Middle School, and

Hightower High School Hightower High School is a secondary school (grades 9–12) located at 3333 Hurricane Lane, Missouri City, Texas, Missouri City, Texas, United States, adjacent to Fort Bend Parkway, The Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road. Hightower is administered by ...

. * South Belt Elementary School of Pasadena ISD is in the Pearland city limits. Some of the Pasadena ISD portion is served by Moore Elementary School and the rest is served by South Belt Elementary School.Elementary Schools
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017. One part is served by Morris Middle School and Beverly Hills Intermediate while the other is served by Melillo Middle School and Thompson Intermediate School.Middle Schools
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017.Intermediate Schools
"

. Retrieved April 15, 2017. All Pasadena ISD residents in Pearland are zoned to

Dobie High School J. Frank Dobie High School is a public secondary school located in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1968, it is named after the Texas writer of the same name. It houses grades 10-12. A Ninth Grade Center was opened recently to help with the influx of s ...

(in Houston). * The Clear Creek ISD portion is served by Weber Elementary School, Westbrook Intermediate School, and

Clear Brook High School Clear Brook High School is a secondary school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, with a Friendswood postal address. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, had its first graduating class in 1991. The school opened in 1988, ...

, all in unincorporated Harris County. * The Houston ISD portion is served by Almeda Elementary School, Lawson Middle School (formerly Dowling Middle School), and Worthing High School (all in Houston).

Private

*St. Helen Catholic School, a K–8 Roman Catholic School operated by the

. ** Located on the grounds of St. Helen Catholic Church, it previously had of space, but by 2019 its space increased to due to an expansion. it had 400 students. * The Eagle Heights Christian Academy is operated by the First Baptist Church and is located in Pearland on Pearland Parkway. It offers grades Pre-K–12. * Heritage Christian Academy is located in Pearland. First Christian Academy Pre-K–12th grade. * The Montessori School of Downtown is also an option for children Infant through 5th grade, with two locations in Pearland.

Awty International School The Awty International School is a private school located in Spring Branch, western Houston, Texas, United States. Founded in 1956, Awty allows its students to receive the International Baccalaureate or the French Baccalauréat, and is fully ac ...

in Spring Branch, which includes the Houston area's French international school, provides bus services for students to and from Pearland, as does Saint Thomas' Episcopal School near Meyerland, and Saint Thomas High School in central Houston.

Colleges and universities

The Pearland ISD and Alvin ISD portions are served by

Alvin Community College Alvin Community College (ACC) is a public community college in Alvin, Texas. Alvin Community College provides educational opportunities in workforce training, academics, technical fields, adult basic education, and personal development. As defi ...

(ACC); the Alvin ISD part is in ACC's taxation boundary. The Pasadena ISD portion is served by

San Jacinto College San Jacinto College () is a public community college in the Greater Houston area, with its campuses in Pasadena and Houston, Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the independent school districts (ISD) of Chan ...

, and the Houston ISD and Fort Bend ISD parts are served by

Houston Community College Houston Community College (HCC), also known as the Houston Community College System (HCCS), is a community college that operates community colleges in Houston, Texas, Houston, Missouri City, Texas, Missouri City, Greater Katy, and Stafford, Texas ...

(HCC). The

University of Houston–Clear Lake The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) is a public university in Pasadena, Texas, Pasadena and Houston in Texas, with branch campuses in Pearland, Texas, Pearland and Texas Medical Center. It is part of the University of Houston System, U ...

(UHCL) has a satellite campus located within the city.

Public libraries

The Pearland Library at 3522 Liberty Drive is a part of the Brazoria County Library System. As of September 13, 2008, the library was closed for many months due to

Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...

storm damage. It reopened in March 2009.

Transportation

Metro Park and Ride

On December 5, 2011, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County purchased of land near Hwy. 288 and FM 518 in the Pearland area for a future "Park and Ride" facility. Alan Parker Properties LP represented the seller, Carolyn and Frank Wenglar, in the $3.95 million land sale. Metro, which currently operates 29 Park and Rides throughout Harris County, said that the new facility would give Brazoria County residents another option for traveling to the

and other downtown Houston destinations. The new facility was scheduled to begin operations in the fall of 2013, but property was given to the city in a cash swap. The city is exploring a private-run service or other uses for the property.

Airports

Two privately owned airports, Pearland Regional Airport and Skyway Manor Airport, are within the city limits. Both airports allow public use. The land with Pearland Regional Airport was annexed into the Pearland city limits in 2017. The closest publicly owned airport is the Brazoria County Airport, located in an

. Commercial airline service is provided out of

from William P. Hobby Airport and

George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport is an international airport in Houston, Texas, United States, serving the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport upon its opening in 1969, it was renamed in ho ...

, both in Houston.

Freeway system

Pearland is served by State Highway 288 which connects the city to Houston. FM 518, locally known as Broadway, is the main east–west artery of the city. State Highway 35, locally called Main Street and known as Telephone Road, is the main north–south artery of the city. Given the spread out area, SH 288 serves the westernmost part of the city, while SH 35 serves the easternmost part as both connect Pearland to Houston ( FM 865/Cullen Blvd also connects Houston as well in between). The

Texas State Highway Beltway 8 Beltway 8 (BW8), the Sam Houston Parkway, along with the Sam Houston Tollway, is an beltway around the city of Houston, Texas, United States, lying entirely within Harris County. Beltway 8, a state highway maintained by the Texas ...

(Sam Houston Tollway) services the northern part of Pearland. It is located adjacent to the northern Brazoria County and southeastern Harris County border. It also serves as one of the largest tollways in the Houston area.

Notable people

Joseph Gutheinz Joseph Richard Gutheinz (born August 13, 1955) is an American attorney, college instructor, commissioner, writer, and former Army intelligence officer, Army aviator, and Federal law enforcement officer. He is known as the founder of the "Moon Ro ...

, retired NASA employee who investigated

stolen and missing Moon rocks Of the 270 Apollo 11 Moon rocks and the Apollo 17 Moon Rocks that were given to the nations of the world by the Nixon Administration, approximately 180 are unaccounted for. Many of these rocks that are accounted for have been locked away in stora ...

* The 1980s punk and new wave band The Judy's *

Clay Hensley Clayton Allen Hensley (born August 31, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, and San Francisco Giants. Early life Hensley attended Lamar Un ...

, Major League Baseball pitcher born, raised, and now resided in Pearland * Kyle Kacal, member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

from College Station since 2013; rancher in Brazos County * Richard Machowicz, television personality and former Navy Seal * Bunny Meyer, YouTube personality * Thomas Morstead, NFL punter *

Normani Normani Kordei Hamilton ( ; born May 31, 1996), known mononymously as Normani, is an American singer. She first became known as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While in t ...

, singer and former member of

Fifth Harmony Fifth Harmony, often shortened to 5H, is an American girl group based in Miami, composed of Ally Brooke, Normani, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, and formerly Camila Cabello until her departure from the group in December 2016. The group signed a ...

who moved to Pearland from

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

after

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Megan initially gained recognition when videos of her freestyling began to circulate widely on social me ...

, rapper and actress who graduated from Pearland High School in 2013 *

Randy Weber Randall Keith Weber (born July 2, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2013. He was previously a member of the Texas House of ...

, member of the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

who was born in Pearland and resided there till 2012 *

Fozzy Whittaker Foswhitt Jer'ald "Fozzy" Whittaker (born February 2, 1989) is an American former professional football player and current college football color analyst. Whittaker was a running back and kick returner for six seasons in the National Football L ...

, retired

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

running back * Connor Wong,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player for the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

Alyah Chanelle Scott Alyah Chanelle Scott (born July 3, 1997) is an American actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as Whitney Chase on the 2021 HBO Max series ''The Sex Lives of College Girls'' and as Timberly Fox on the 2022 Hulu series '' ...

, actress

Sister cities

* Markham, Ontario, Canada * Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico * Lopez, Quezon, Philippines *

Palencia, Spain Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half of ...

Notes

References

External links

*
Pearland Economic Development Corporation

Pearland Chamber of Commerce

Pearland Convention and Visitors Bureau
*
''Pearland Journal''
{{authority control Cities in Brazoria County, Texas Cities in Harris County, Texas Cities in Fort Bend County, Texas Cities in Texas Greater Houston