| City
of Houston
Houston,
the third largest population center in the nation, is located
on a coastal plain fifty miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Its
climate has normal daily minimum and maximum temperatures
of 45-65° F in the winter and 73-92° F in the summer. Houston
is a modern dynamic city, rich in cultural diversity that
reflects its multiethnic mix.
Economy
The city's
economy, once based on the petrochemical industry, is highly
diversified. Connected to the Gulf of Mexico by a man-made
ship channel, the Port of Houston is the third busiest port
in the nation and the ninth busiest in the world. Banking,
agribusiness, marine technology, space science, biotechnology,
and medicine all contribute significantly to the local economy.
Houston is also home to NASA's Johnson
Space Center, the controlling headquarters for all manned
space flight in the United States.
Cultural
Activities
Houston
has emerged as a cultural center for the Southwest. It is
home to the Houston
Ballet Company, the Houston
Symphony, and the Houston
Grand Opera. The Alley
Theater is the third oldest resident theater company in
the country, featuring an 800-seat main theater and a smaller,
300-seat arena theater. The Museum
of Fine Arts, Houston, the Contemporary
Arts Museum and the Houston
Museum of Natural Science all offer outstanding exhibitions.
Numerous smaller museums and art galleries can be found in
the Museum District, one mile north of the Texas
Medical Center.
Sports
Sports
enthusiasts can take advantage of professional sports action
year round. Houston is home to six professional sports teams:
the 1993,1994,1995 NBA champion Rockets
(basketball), the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 WNBA champion
Comets
(basketball), the 2005 MLB division champion Astros
(baseball), the NFL Texans
(football), the 2006 MLS champion Dynamo
(soccer) and
the IHL Aeros (hockey).
Houston's close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston
Bay (fifty miles) and local lakes also provides access to
a full range of water sports activities.
Cost
of Living
Among
the major metropolitan areas of the country, Houston has one
of the lowest costs of living. In addition, the diversity
and breadth of the city's economy provides a wide array of
job opportunities for spouses and family members. Low housing
costs, absence of a state or city income tax, and friendly
people combine to make this a desirable city in which to relocate.
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