Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Mission

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research builds better cities and improves lives through data, research, engagement and action.

The institute is an interdisciplinary research organization at Rice University in Houston. Its vision is prosperity for all, where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to Houston’s success and share in its opportunities.

Partnerships

Using a research-practice partnership model, the Kinder Institute advances the public good by working hand in hand with government agencies and social services organizations that are positioned to solve critical challenges facing the nation’s fifth-largest and most diverse metropolitan area. In this model, projects are jointly developed with long-term partners who contribute their insight and expertise.

Research

The institute focuses on the intersecting issues of housing, education, economic mobility, health and population. Research initiatives are housed under five research centers:

  • Houston Education Research Consortium: The Houston Education Research Consortium is a partnership with Houston-area school districts to provide timely, actionable analysis focused on closing socioeconomic and achievement gaps for students. Research initiatives include early childhood education, student mobility, postsecondary readiness and social-emotional learning.
  • Houston Population Research Center: The Houston Population Research Center collects and disseminates data to understand social and demographic change in Houston. It is home to the Kinder Houston Area Survey and the Greater Houston Community Panel, composed of thousands of scientifically selected adults in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties who are regularly surveyed about their families and communities.
  • Center for Housing and Neighborhoods: The Center for Housing and Neighborhoods is dedicated to understanding the dynamics of housing and neighborhood development across the Houston region. The center conducts in-depth research on housing affordability, neighborhood change, placemaking, environmental impacts and disaster resilience to inform solutions that promote sustainable, inclusive and equitable neighborhoods.
  • Center for Community and Public Health: The Center for Community and Public Health is focused on making the Houston region a model for supporting a thriving and healthy population. Working directly with communities and partners, the center addresses critical disparities and improves health outcomes, with an emphasis on mental health and well-being, food insecurity and maternal health.
  • Center for Economic Mobility: The Center for Economic Mobility conducts rigorous research to better understand the drivers of economic opportunity and to design solutions that expand pathways to upward mobility. It unites academic expertise with on-the-ground knowledge from government and nonprofit organizations, generating evidence that both advances the scientific frontier and informs innovative public policy.

Key initiatives and projects include:

  • Kinder Houston Area Survey: Since 1982, the annual Kinder Houston Area Survey has documented the city's transformations, offering data-driven insights into the opportunities and challenges facing Houston and other cities. No other metropolitan region in the country has been the focus of a research program of this scope. Findings are shared with local leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders to address critical urban issues.
  • Asian American Community Study: This multiyear, multilingual comprehensive study focuses on the perceptions and experiences of Asian American communities, among the region’s fastest-growing ethnic groups. 
  • State of Housing in Harris County and Houston: Since 2020, the State of Housing report has provided an in-depth look into Harris County and Houston’s rapidly changing landscape. Key indicators are tracked to understand trends over time.  

Data-Driven Decisions

  • The Urban Data Platform warehouses hundreds of data sets  and serves as the foundation of the Kinder Institute’s data efforts, as well as a resource for researchers in Houston and beyond.
  • Houston Community Data Connections is an interactive dashboard that members of the public, nonprofits and agencies can use to understand neighborhoods across an array of indicators.

Data-Driven Decisions

  • Public Programs
    • The Kinder Institute Forum lecture series brings thought leaders from around the world to Houston to share ideas about pressing urban issues. KI Forum speakers have included Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond, education leader Ruth Simmons and former U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos.
    • The Kinder Institute Luncheon brings together hundreds of civic leaders, researchers and community leaders each year to learn about the leading issues facing our community and country. Funds raised from the luncheon help to ensure the institute’s work remains a public good for the benefit of all Houstonians.
    • The Education Engagement Research Series is geared toward school leaders, community organizations, policymakers and individuals invested in improving educational outcomes. Researchers share study findings and attendees participate in interactive group discussions to brainstorm strategies and opportunities for collaboration.
  • Urban Edge: The Urban Edge blog takes a journalistic approach to gathering information and insights and presenting them in an accessible, nonpartisan manner. Urban Edge content is rooted in the research and expertise of Kinder Institute staff. It also addresses news, external research and other developments related to the institute’s primary areas of research focus.
  • Community Bridges: Rice undergraduates in the Community Bridges program undertake a yearlong fellowship studying urban sociology in the classroom and carrying out research projects with Houston nonprofit organizations aimed at reducing poverty and inequality.
  • Speaker's Bureau: The Kinder Institute deepens its reach throughout the region by providing experts to speak to nonprofit, private and corporate organizations on a broad range of issues, including education, housing and the Kinder Houston Area Survey.

Source:  Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Last Updated:  October 2025