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Houston is the largest city in the U.S. state of Texas. Its metropolitan area of Greater Houston has a population of 7.8 million as of 2024. The city is home to 114 completed high-rise buildings that stand taller than 300 feet (91 m), 40 of which are taller than 492 ft (150 m).[2][3] Houston's skyline is one of the largest in the United States, with the fourth-most skyscrapers taller than 492 ft (150 m) in the country after New York City, Chicago, and Miami; the skyline is the second-largest in the Southern United States, after Miami, and the largest in Texas. The tallest building in the city is the JPMorgan Chase Tower, which rises 1,002ft (305m) in Downtown Houston and was completed in 1982. It stood as the tallest building in Texas until the topping out of Waterline in Austin in 2025. It is one of the city's two supertall skyscrapers, the other being Wells Fargo Plaza, Houston's second-tallest building at 992ft (302m). Five of the ten tallest buildings in Texas are located in Houston.[4]
While predominantly a low-rise city, Houston contains several high-rise neighborhoods. The tallest skyscrapers are concentrated in Downtown Houston, forming a central skyline bounded by Interstate 10 to the north, Interstate 45 to the northwest and southwest, and Interstate 69 to the southeast. Downtown Houston is dominated by office buildings; the 25-tallest buildings in Houston are all office skyscrapers. Approximately 6 miles west of downtown is the business district of Uptown Houston, which has the second-largest collection of high-rises in the city. By far the tallest building in Uptown is the Williams Tower, the third-tallest building in the city at 901ft (275m). Until the completion of the Brooklyn Tower in New York City in 2022, the Williams Tower was the tallest skyscraper in the United States outside of a city's central business district.[5]
The Texas Medical Center (TMC), southwest of downtown, is Houston's third major high-rise cluster. The largest medical center in the world, the skyline of the TMC consists of several high-rise hospitals, as well as offices for medical institutions.[6] Shorter and smaller clusters of tall buildings are found in Greenway Plaza/Upper Kirby, Memorial City, the Houston Energy Corridor, Greenspoint, and Westchase/Walnut Bend, as well as an emerging cluster in the city's Museum District. Due to Houston's lack of comprehensive zoning laws, there are a substantial number of individual high-rises located outside of these areas.
The history of high-rises in Houston began with the original 6-story Binz Building in 1895, regarded as the first skyscraper in Houston. The city's skyline saw an early stage of growth in the 1920s. Owing to the Great Depression and World War II, little growth occurred from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. Houston's skyline grew steadily in the 1960s. New towers offered office space for oil and energy companies. The rate of development increased in the 1970s, and surged during the late 1970s and early 1980s as the price of oil increased during the 1970s energy crisis. Following the 1980s oil glut and Texas real-estate crash, high-rise construction declined sharply. Houston's skyline resumed growth in the 2000s. Two major office skyscrapers taller than 700 ft (213 m) have been added since 2010: 609 Main at Texas in 2017, and Texas Tower in 2021.
History
Number of buildings by height in Houston by the end of each year, taking into account demolished buildings and buildings whose heights were increased following a renovation. Click on the legend to toggle a specific height on or off. View chart definition.
The history of skyscrapers in the city began with the construction of the original 6-story Binz Building in 1895, regarded as the first skyscraper in Houston. The city's skyline saw an early stage of growth in the 1920s, with early skyscrapers such as the Carter Building, the Niels Esperson Building, and the Gulf Building, which stood as the tallest building in Houston for over three decades until 1963. Owing to the Great Depression and World War II, little growth occurred from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. Houston's skyline grew steadily in the 1960s. New skyscrapers offered office space for oil and energy companies, an industry central to the city. The rate of skyscraper development increased in the 1970s, and especially surged during the late 1970s and early 1980s as the price of oil increased during the 1970s energy crisis. Many notable skyscrapers were completed during this period, including Houston's four tallest buildings. As a result, Houston's skyline is known for the prevalance of postmodern architecture, such as the TC Energy Center with its steeply pitched gabled roofline.
Following the 1980s oil glut and Texas real-estate crash, high-rise construction declined sharply. The city saw no new major office buildings until 2002, when 1500 Louisiana Street was completed. The building was meant to serve as Enron's new headquarters; however, the company collapsed before the building was finished. Houston's skyline returned to growth in the 2000s. Residential towers have become increasingly common, including isolated towers in low-rise neighborhoods between Downtown and Uptown Houston. In downtown, new high-rise buildings have mainly been built on the east side. Two major office skyscrapers taller than 700 ft (213 m) have been added since 2010: 609 Main at Texas in 2017, and Texas Tower in 2021. The skyline of the Texas Medical District changed significantly in the 2010s, including the construction of its tallest building, the Methodist Outpatient Care Center, in 2010.
Cityscape
Downtown Houston in 2024Panorama of Uptown Houston in 2012The Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical center, in 2019
Map of tallest buildings
The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Houston. Downtown Houston is in the northeast of the map, while Uptown Houston is in the northwest, and Texas Medical Center is in the south. Each marker is colored by the decade of the building's completion.
Not included are BP West Lake One in the Energy Corridor, Memorial Hermann Tower in Memorial City, Noble Energy Center Two in northwestern Houston, 4 Greenspoint Plaza in Greenspoint, and four high-rise buildings in Walnut Bend.
Downtown Houston is the neighborhood with the most high-rises in Houston, containing around half of the buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m) in the city.
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Buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m) in Downtown Houston.
This list ranks completed and topped out skyscrapers in Houston that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall as of September 2025, based on standard height measurement. This height includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.[a][2][7][3]
Was the tallest building in Houston upon completion
Tallest all-glass building in the Western Hemisphere. Formerly known as formerly the Allied Bank Plaza and First Interstate Bank Plaza. Also known by its street address, 1000 Louisiana.[11][12][13]
Tallest building completed in Houston in the 1960s. Tallest building in Houston from 1963 to 1970. Formerly known as the Humble Oil Building until 1973.[61][62][63]
Tallest building completed in Houston in the 1920s and in the first half of the 20th century. Tallest building in Houston from 1929 to 1963.[164][165][166]
This building was originally built as the Melrose Building, at a height of 308 ft (94 m). It was renovated as Le Meridian Hotel in 2017, and its height was increased.[208][209]
There are several high-rises taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Greater Houston that are located outside of the city of Houston: three in Galveston, two in The Woodlands, and one in Pasadena. Three of them are residential and hotel buildings built on Texas' coastline during the 2000s real estate boom.
Tallest building in The Woodlands. Tallest building in Greater Houston located outside Houston. Also known as 1201 Lake Robbins Drive or Anadarko Tower I.[255]
Tallest building in Galveston from 1972 to 2007. Tallest office building in Galveston.[258]
Tallest under construction or proposed
Under construction
This table lists buildings under construction in Houston that are expected to be at least 300 ft (91 m) tall, as of 2025. The "Year" column indicates the estimated year of completion.
This table lists approved and proposed in Houston that are expected to be at least 300 ft (91 m) tall, as of 2025. The "Year" column indicates the estimated year of completion. A dash “–“ indicates information about the building is unknown or has not been released.
Since 1895, the year the first high-rise in the city was constructed,[270] the title of the tallest building in Houston has been held by eleven high-rises.
↑ If two or more buildings are of the same height, they are listed in order of floor count, then alphabetically. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was originally completed.
↑ Bradley, Robert L. (2011). Edison to Enron: energy markets and political strategies. Hoboken, NJ: Scrivener. pp.345–346. ISBN978-1-118-19248-1. OCLC768243511.
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