Fort Bend County, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, has become a hotspot for people to live, work and build their businesses, thanks in part to rising new developments and transportation projects.
Spanning nearly 900 square miles, Fort Bend leads the region in affordability, quality of life, level of educational attainment and population diversity, with 29 percent of their population being foreign born, the highest percentage in metro Houston, according to the Partnership’s Houston Facts publication.
Since 2000, Fort Bend County’s population has tripled and is expected to reach 1.8 million by 2050, according to Woods & Poole.
Infrastructure
Only 30 miles southwest of Houston, Fort Bend County encompasses six thriving cities including Fulshear, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Stafford and Sugar Land. Home to various transportation networks like I-69, Westpark Tollway and Fort Bend Toll Road, residents have convenient access to all the Bayou City’s top attractions and other cities.
To accommodate growth, several infrastructure projects are underway:
- The Highway 36A project proposes to add 65 miles to Highway 36, improving freight movement and evacuation routes.
- The Westpark Tollway extension is under construction, reaching from FM 723 to Texas Heritage Parkway.
- $70 million has been allocated for 30 mobility projects including Grand Parkway frontage road construction.
Business Community
Fort Bend is home to Fortune 500 companies, international businesses, and startups. The business count grew from 8,600 to nearly 15,000 in the last decade.
In 2021, Frito-Lay invested $200 million to expand its Rosenberg facility, adding two manufacturing lines and creating 160 full-time jobs.
“We’ve called Rosenberg home for nearly 40 years. Throughout that time, the support of Fort Bend County has helped us invest in the right areas so that we can continue to grow and provide jobs to the community.” – Laura Maxwell, Senior VP of Supply Chain, PepsiCo Foods North America
Other major employers include Amazon, FedEx, UPS, SLB, Champion X, Dollar Tree, and Texas Instruments.
Quality of Life
Recently ranked the second-best county to live in Texas, Fort Bend is known for its schools, culture, and recreation:
- Destinations include Constellation Field, Seabourne Creek Nature Park, and Sugar Land Town Square.
- The Town Square includes shopping, dining, hotels, offices, and a large central plaza for events.
- Fort Bend boasts six school districts and four colleges, with 48% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
New Developments
Austin Point: A 4,700-acre master-planned town featuring:
- 1,600 acres of mixed-use development with retail, office, medical, and 14 million sq. ft. of space
- A walkable downtown innovation zone
- 14,000 homes and a projected population of 50,000
- The 1824 – a community park with café, beer garden, food trucks, trails, and more
“[Austin Point] reaches families of all life stages… It really caters to this diverse county and allows for housing to respond to all those needs.” – Mike Miller, Senior VP, Signorelli Company
The Grid: A 192-acre mixed-use center in Stafford with:
- 350,000 sq. ft. of office space, hotels, pop-up shops, food hall, rooftop dining, and 2,400 residences
- Green spaces for concerts and festivals
- The first two phases are already complete
“Fort Bend County is ripe for a large-scale, authentic, high-end mixed-use center, which is exactly why we chose this site for The Grid.” – Brian Murphy, Managing Principal, Edge Realty