The Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Mission
The Kinder Institute for Urban Research builds better cities and improves lives through data, research, engagement, and action. Located at Rice University, the Kinder Institute’s vision is prosperity for all, where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to Houston’s success and share in its opportunities.
Partnerships
The Kinder Institute advances the public good by partnering 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. Research initiatives are jointly developed with long-term partners and community stakeholders who contribute their insight and expertise.
Research
Research initiatives are housed under five research centers:
· 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.
· The Houston Population Research Center collects and disseminates data to help citizens understand social and demographic change in Houston. The center oversees the annual Kinder Houston Area Survey and the Greater Houston Community Panel, composed of thousands of adults in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties who are scientifically selected and regularly surveyed.
· The Center for Housing and Neighborhoods is dedicated to understanding the dynamics of urban 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 to neighborhood challenges.
· The Center for Community and Public Health is focused on making the Houston region a model for supporting a thriving and healthy population. Working with communities and partners, the center addresses disparities and improves health outcomes, with an emphasis on mental health and well-being, food insecurity and maternal health.
· The Center for Economic Mobility conducts research to better understand and expand access to the drivers of opportunity and upward mobility. In partnership with government and nonprofit organizations, the center advances the scientific frontier and informs innovative public policy.
The Institute’s key initiatives and projects include:
· The Kinder Houston Area Survey. Since 1982, the annual Kinder Houston Area Survey has captured data-driven insights into the region’s evolving population. No other metropolitan region in the country has been the focus of a research program of this scope.
· The Asian American Community Study. This multi-year, multi-lingual study focuses on the perceptions and experiences of Asian American communities, which comprise the region’s fastest-growing ethnic groups.
· The State of Housing in Harris County and Houston. Since 2020, this report has provided an in-depth look into the trends shaping the local housing system within the nation’s third-largest county and fourth-largest city.
Data-Driven resources include:
· The Urban Data Platform curates, processes, and manages hundreds of research-ready data sets focused on the Houston region, enabling easier analysis by scholars, policy experts, and others.
· Houston Community Data Connections is a free, interactive application for exploring Houston neighborhoods, ZIP codes, and school districts across more than 120 indicators.
Local and global engagement
Public Programs
The Kinder Institute Forum brings thought leaders from around the world to Houston, including 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 Research Engagement Series brings together school leaders, community organizations, policymakers and individuals invested in improving education outcomes. Researchers and participants share knowledge and discuss opportunities for collaboration.
The Urban Edge blog and newsletter takes a journalistic approach to research, presenting information and insights in an engaging audience-focused format. In addition to supporting research dissemination and discussion, it also publishes articles about policies, trends, and other developments related to the institute’s research.
Community Bridges offers Rice undergraduates a year-long fellowship to study urban sociology in the classroom and to carry out research projects with Houston nonprofit organizations.
The National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships connects, supports, and develops education research-practice partnerships across the United States and Europe to advance their efficacy and productivity
Source: Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Last updated: March 2026