In 1970, Fort Bend County was home to around 50,000 people. Today, it is closing in on 1 million, and it has become one of the most diverse places in the entire country.
Here is the story of Fort Bend County, told through the numbers.
Quick answer: Fort Bend County grew from around 50,000 residents in 1970 to nearly 1 million in 2024, according to Rice University's Kinder Institute. Based on 2020 Census data, it ranked among the five most diverse counties in the United States, and it has the largest share of Asian residents of any county in Texas.
~50,000 to ~1,000,000: Half a Century of Growth
Fort Bend County had around 50,000 residents in 1970. By 2024, it had grown to nearly 1 million, according to Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. At the 2020 Census, its population was 822,779, making it the eighth-most populous county in Texas.
Top 5: One of the Most Diverse Counties in America
The U.S. Census Bureau uses a diversity index that measures the chance that two people chosen at random will be from different racial and ethnic groups. Based on 2020 Census data, Fort Bend County ranked fifth among all U.S. counties, with a diversity index of 76.3%.
It was the highest-ranked county on that list outside of Hawaii and New York.
Nearly Equal Parts
An earlier Rice University Kinder Institute study called Fort Bend the single most ethnically diverse county in the nation. Using 2010 Census data, the study found that Fort Bend came closer than any other U.S. county to an equal division among the nation's four major ethnic communities.
22%: Texas's Largest Share of Asian Residents
According to the 2020 Census, Fort Bend County had the largest share of Asian residents of any of Texas's 254 counties, at about 22% of the population.
70.6%: A Magnet for New Americans
A report from the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative found that between 2010 and 2020, Fort Bend County's foreign-born population grew by 70.6%, the sharpest increase of any county in the Houston metro. The report's author singled out Fort Bend as one of the most diverse places in America.
The same report found that immigrants in Fort Bend County had a median household income of $101,575, and 51.4% had a bachelor's degree.
What the Numbers Add Up To
Put it all together and you get a county that has changed dramatically in a single lifetime: from about 50,000 people to a fast-growing community of nearly a million, with neighbors whose families come from all over the world.
Want to know more about how Fort Bend got here? (See Why Fort Bend County Is One of the Fastest-Growing Counties and 10 Fun Facts About Fort Bend County.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Bend County the most diverse county in the U.S.? It is one of the most diverse. Based on the Census Bureau's diversity index and 2020 Census data, Fort Bend ranked fifth among U.S. counties. An earlier Rice University Kinder Institute study, using 2010 Census data, called it the most ethnically diverse county in the nation.
How many people live in Fort Bend County? The 2020 Census counted 822,779 residents. Rice University's Kinder Institute reports the county reached nearly 1 million residents in 2024.
How fast has Fort Bend County grown? From around 50,000 residents in 1970 to nearly 1 million in 2024, according to the Kinder Institute.
Be Part of Fort Bend's Story
Fort Bend County has grown from a small community into one of the most dynamic places in Texas. Ryan Adams and The Adams Group TX are proud to call it home. If you are thinking about joining the story, call us at (832) 308-7633 or visit us at 5822 Sienna Parkway, Suite 500, Missouri City, TX 77459.
