Harris County Is One of the Largest Counties in the U.S.

By 1930 Harris County surpassed Dallas County to become Texas's most populous county. By 1960, it had more than one million residents. By 2014, the county had over 4.4 million people. Today it ranks among the top handful of most populous counties in the entire country.

The county is home to dozens of incorporated cities in addition to Houston, including Pasadena, Baytown, Pearland, Missouri City, and many smaller communities. Large stretches are unincorporated. The scale of the county means long commutes and wide variation in services depending on where you live.