Driving Changes with Data: Key Drivers to Increase Economic Mobility in Houston 

Understanding Houston, an initiative of Greater Houston Community Foundation, and OpenRICE, an initiative of Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, joined forces to share data identifying key drivers to increase economic mobility in Houston with national speakers from Opportunity Insights and local leaders. This webinar helped attendees better understand economic mobility and the trends occurring nationally and locally, as well as the key drivers that are shaping upward mobility for individuals and families. 

Table of Contents

• Opportunity Insights Data Presentation
• Panel Discussion
• Key Takeaways for Houston
• Critical Observation
• Engagement Opportunities
• Presenters

Opportunity Insights Data Presentation 

Opportunity Insights (OI) is a research and policy-based lab based at Harvard University. It works to identify barriers to economic opportunity and develop scalable solutions that will empower people throughout the United States to rise out of poverty and achieve better life outcomes. Two members of the OI team, David Forte, Director of Research Translation and Strategic Initiatives, and Emily Leff, Research and Data Communications Associate, shared more about economic mobility and the geography of opportunity. 

What is economic mobility, and why does it matter? 

OI defines economic mobility as a child from a low-income household earning more in adulthood relative to their parents. Why does economic mobility matter? At the heart of the American Dream is the promise of upward mobility—the aspiration that all children have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. However, OI’s research shows that a child’s chance of earning more than their parents has been declining. 90% of children born in 1940 grew up to earn more than their parents. Of children born in 1980, only half went on to earn more than their parents did. 

Where and for whom does opportunity exist?

The primary way to look at economic mobility is through the lens of geography. The map below shows the adult earnings of children who grew up in low-income households (25^th percentile). You can explore this map on your own through Opportunity Insights’ Opportunity Atlas. 

Red regions have lower mobility outcomes for low-income children, while the bluer regions have higher mobility outcomes for low-income children. Nationally, children from low-income families who grow up in the northern part of the country are more likely to be economically mobile and earn more compared to their parents. For similar children born in the southeastern part of the country, they are less likely to experience upward mobility. 

OI shared that this difference in economic mobility by place does not only occur at the national level but is hyper-local as well. The map below shows just that. 

Growing up in adjacent neighborhoods can be the same as living in completely different regions of the United States. Just because one zip code, or census tract, has high upward mobility does not mean an adjacent zip code does. According to OI, the average household income in adulthood can vary up to $35K for low-income children growing up in adjacent lower vs. higher opportunity areas of Houston. This highlights how opportunities vary greatly by place and are hyper-local. 

How is economic mobility shifting nationwide and in Houston?

OI shared that Houston has done relatively well compared to other large metro areas in increasing economic mobility for low-income children. Comparing children raised in low-income families born in 1992 and 1978, the income of the 1992 birth cohort increased 1.1% compared to those from the 1978 birth cohort. This increase in earnings places Houston 11^th out of the 50 largest metros in the United States in increasing economic mobility for children from low-income families. While this is a positive trend and something worth celebrating, this 1.1% increase in earnings translates into a modest increase of $350 in income. 

OI shared that nationally, and in Houston, economic mobility for Black children from low-income families has been improving while mobility for white children in similar circumstances has been decreasing. They also highlighted that there is no trade-off happening between these gains and losses as there is a positive correlation between changes in income for Black and white children, as can be seen in the chart below. This means that the areas where Black children’s outcomes improved most tend to be the same areas where white children’s outcomes deteriorated the least.  

Despite these improvements, there is still a significant gap between what low-income Black children and low-income white children earn, on average, in adulthood. There is still no place in America where, on average, low-income Black children go on to earn more than their white counterparts from similarly low-income families. In Houston, earnings gaps for low-income Black and white children narrowed but remain large. This Black-white earnings gap in Houston for children from low-income families decreased by 33%, from $12.5K to $8.4K––still a substantive difference in income. 

Characteristics of High Opportunity Areas

As was mentioned before, economic mobility varies by place and is hyper-local. But what are those key ingredients that allow a child to experience upward mobility in one place but not another? Through their research, the OI team has discovered four key characteristics that help neighborhoods have high mobility: 

The presenters highlighted that greater social capital, specifically economic connectedness, is the strongest correlate with upward mobility. This means that communities with more cross-class friendships have higher levels of upward mobility. We invite you to explore this concept of social capital and economic connectedness as a component of it even further through Opportunity Insights’ Social Capital Atlas. Explore what social capital looks like at the county and zip code level, as well as by high school and college, and its relationship to economic mobility. 

Panel Discussion 

By understanding what drives success, we can scale effective strategies to amplify progress and address persistent disparities. That’s why we were joined by a panel of exceptional local Houston leaders working in key areas to improve economic mobility in Houston—Dr. Quianta Moore MD, JD, Executive Director of The Hackett Center for Mental Health and Executive Vice President of Health Equity at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Amanda Timm, Principal Owner of Amanda Timm Consulting, and Cary Wright, CEO of Good Reason Houston. They all have relevant expertise in what Opportunity Insights calls key characteristics of “high-mobility neighborhoods” for low-income children. Continue reading to discover the panelists’ insights on the presentation and how each of their unique perspectives contributes to our understanding of economic mobility in Houston. 

Click here to learn about our presenters.

What is sticking with you from Opportunity Insight’s presentation? Is it either because you are pondering the implications or because you see it in your work in Houston? 

The panelists highlighted several key takeaways from the presentation that resonated with them: 

• Place matters: Where people live strongly influences their opportunities, relationships, and even life expectancy. This underscores the importance of investing in communities to support families and economic mobility. 

• Regional friendship strategy: The structure of schools, attendance zones, transportation, and city planning could be designed to foster more diverse, meaningful relationships across socioeconomic lines, starting from childhood. 

• Houston’s strong economy: They reflected on how upward mobility has remained fairly stagnant in comparison to Houston’s strong economy and continued population growth.  

Through the research and data presented, we saw that Houston’s ranking in economic mobility improved from 23rd in the nation to 12th and that this shifting in rankings puts our region 11^th among the top 50 metros for increasing adult incomes of children raised in low-income households. These improvements were influenced by what took place in the late 90s and early 2000s. During this period, what is one key factor in your domain that likely contributed to this improvement and why?  

The panelists identified several key factors that contributed to Houston’s improvement in economic mobility, which included: 

• Public education: During this period, Houston’s public school system set high academic standards and expanded access to quality education. In addition, the rise of high-quality public charter schools, which now, according to our panelists, serve about 10% of the city’s school-age population, played a crucial role in ensuring that students from all backgrounds were placed on a path to post-secondary opportunities. The data from this era underscores the importance of continued investment in education to drive long-term economic mobility. 

• Community development: The 1990s saw a rise in organizations focused on improving neighborhoods, ensuring access to stable housing, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. Addressing factors like housing security and community well-being helped create a more stable foundation for families, making it easier for them to focus on work, education, and overall upward mobility. 

Additionally, panelists emphasized the importance of understanding the “why” behind mobility trends. Human experiences, shaped by policies such as housing and pre-k enrollment programs, play a critical role in development. This period’s policies and cultural shifts helped expand opportunities, but the complexity of individual experiences must continue to be considered when designing future interventions. 

We heard how opportunity varies by place and is hyper-local at the neighborhood level. There are different models or approaches to neighborhood revitalization here in Houston. Can you tell us more about this work, including best practices in the field and how this work has unfolded in our region? Where do you hope it goes next in Houston? 

Panelists emphasized that effective neighborhood revitalization requires a true investment, focusing on long-term financial stability and asset-building for residents. A key best practice is cross-sector collaboration, where corporations, foundations, and policymakers work alongside community leaders to align efforts and ensure resources address real needs. Empowering residents to make decisions is crucial for sustainable impact. 

Amanda Timm shared, “Trust is essential as progress moves at the speed of trust.“ The Houston Economic Growth Collaborative exemplifies this approach by uniting key stakeholders early, listening to communities, and strategically pooling resources. 

Looking ahead, panelists hope forstronger collaboration, advocacy, and policy to drive systemic change, ensuring revitalization efforts go beyond financial investment to create lasting economic opportunity. 

An analysis of over ten years of data from 4,000 school districts looking at 430 million test scores found that the racial concentration of poverty in schools is one of the strongest predictors of academic achievement gaps. Other research also shows that educating a poor student in a high-poverty school costs more compared to more mixed-income schools. How does Good Reason Houston confront this challenge? What are the holistic and system-level strategies needed to ensure all students, regardless of zip code, have access to high-quality education? 

Cary Wright discussed that to address educational inequities, there needs to be a focus on teacher talent strategy, targeted investments, and socioeconomic integration. How can our region reengineer teacher incentives and structures to attract top educators to schools with the greatest needs? In addition, is our region prioritizing strategic financial investments, such as bonus funds and student-centered advising, to better support underserved students? 

Another key strategy is encouraging socioeconomic integration. This could include designing school enrollment and attendance boundaries to create more balanced student populations or fostering partnerships between two nearby campuses that serve different populations and socioeconomic groups. 

Opportunity Insights research has highlighted a strong correlation between economic mobility and community-level employment rates, reinforcing the idea that a child’s future success is influenced not only by their parents’ economic stability but also by the overall well-being of their community. What are some key factors driving this connection based on your research and experience, and how can policies and programs be designed to support entire families and communities in fostering greater upward mobility? 

Panelists reiterated that family support, social connectedness, and place-based investment are key drivers of economic mobility. According to Dr. Quianta Moore, research shows that when families—especially parents—receive support, children experience better outcomes. Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, making parental and community support essential. Additionally, relationships, or greater social capital, shape opportunities and long-term success. 

A community’s collective efficacy—encompassing trust and social cohesion—significantly impacts mobility. Even in low-income areas, stronger community trust leads to better outcomes. Place-based investments should prioritize fostering these connections. 

If there is any place across the country that can preserve the American Dream, it is Houston. Do you think that’s possible? And what do you think is needed in Houston to continue to advance economic mobility in our region? What must we do, or perhaps do differently, to make real progress? 

Panelists agreed that Houston has the potential to preserve the American Dream, but achieving real economic mobility requires a mindset shift, stronger collaboration, and systemic reforms. They emphasized the need to see all children as our children and work collectively to close opportunity gaps. Addressing issues like the benefits cliff—where rising incomes can lead to a sudden loss of support—requires policy changes to create a smoother path to financial stability.  

Houston’s diversity is a strength, but according to our panelists, social and economic segregation can still hold our region back. While moments of crisis, like disaster response and recovery, unite the community, sustained commitment is needed. Business, philanthropic, and community leaders must continue rallying and working deeply together to drive change. 

Click here to watch the full presentation and panelist discussion.

Key Takeaways for Houston 

Houston’s ranking as 11th among the 50 largest metros in economic mobility gains is worth recognizing, but we must also ask why we still lag behind other Texas cities like Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Brownsville. More importantly, Houston’s progress reflects stability rather than transformative change, with economic mobility gains amounting to just $350 more in annual income for low-income children over 15 years. While 37 metro areas nationwide have experienced declines, our ranking is less about exceptional progress and more about the struggles seen elsewhere. 

The research presented by Opportunity Insights underscores the deep connection between place and opportunity—yet no city in America has achieved economic mobility for low-income Black children that outpaces their white peers from similarly low-income backgrounds. 

Houston’s story is complex, but the data makes two things clear: first, there are real strengths to build on, and second, there is still urgent work ahead to create true economic mobility across our region. This is a call to action. By understanding what drives success, we can scale proven strategies, break down systemic barriers, and ensure that every Houstonian has a fair shot at upward mobility. 

Critical Observation 

Advancing economic mobility is complex and multifaceted, as highlighted by the insightful questions above and from additional questions from our audience, which sparked even deeper, more meaningful discussions. Houston boasts remarkable strengths, but significant work must be done to ensure every child in Houston has a fair shot at climbing the economic ladder. By leveraging data to identify and create more pathways for upward mobility, we can better equip low-income children to surpass their parents in economic opportunity. 

Engagement Opportunities 

Engage with the Data 

• Explore Understanding Houston
• Request a Data Presentation
• Dig into Opportunity Atlas or Social Capital Atlas
• Share your Applied Data Story
• Attend OI Office Hours

Engage with the Foundation 

• Subscribe to “Insider” Newsletter
• Submit a Grant Applications – Applications go live in late April! 
• Give Feedback/Ideas

About The Presenters 

David Forte is the Director of Research Translation and Strategic Initiatives at Opportunity Insights. In this role, David focuses on building out strategic activities that bring OI research into practice. David comes to OI from prior work in housing policy, including leading impact and evaluation efforts at the King County Housing Authority, and more recently, consulting on data analysis and evaluation with public agencies across the United States working to end homelessness. He also has experience as a Research Associate at Harvard Business School and in program evaluation and fund development roles with nonprofit organizations in Seattle, WA and Boston, MA. 

David holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Texas A&M University. 

Emily Leff is a Research and Data Communications Associate at Opportunity Insights. Emily has worked as a Graduate Research Assistant at Plural Connections, an interdisciplinary research and action lab whose mission is to use tools from data science and design to advance pluralism. Previously, she worked at Insurify, a Boston-based insurtech startup, as a Quantitative Content Writer and Data & Research Lead. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Data Analysis from Wesleyan University and Master of Science in Information Design & Data Visualization from Northeastern University. 

Quianta Moore MD, JD, is the Executive Director of The Hackett Center for Mental Health and the Executive Vice President of Health Equity at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. Under Dr. Moore’s leadership, The Hackett Center is focused on creating transformative change for mental and relational health by co-creating evidence-based, community-informed policies, programs, and practices and bringing them to scale. Dr. Moore is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Moore is the owner and founder of Catapult Dreams, LLC, where she helps funders and non-profits enhance their social impact through evaluation, coaching, capacity building, and strategic planning. 

Dr. Moore is an experienced, action-oriented researcher who has designed and conducted large-scale, state-wide evaluations of mental health initiatives and early childhood programs. Her research uses rigorous methods to answer important questions, which then inform the design of policies and programs that impact people and their communities. 

Dr. Moore has dedicated her professional life to advancing health equity and protecting the future of the next generation through promoting early brain health, which is vital to breaking generational poverty and our country’s future economic prosperity. She is the creator of Brain Builders, a parenting program that focuses on improving early brain development and building social cohesion among moms, improving health and economic outcomes. 

Mayor Sylvester Turner gave Dr. Moore a proclamation acknowledging the impact of her work in the greater Houston area. She is also a Robert Wood Johnson Interdisciplinary Research Leader. 

Amanda Timm is the principal and owner of Amanda Timm Consulting. With nearly 30 years of experience in the civic, nonprofit and community development fields, her consulting practice provides philanthropic and nonprofit clients with strategy, program design, training and facilitation services. She leads and supports through collaborative and consensus-based approaches that center people and community in the process. 

Prior to consulting, Amanda was the Executive Director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Houston office for twelve years. While at LISC, she orchestrated the program’s strategic shift to a comprehensive approach for community development. The approach included family financial stability, community engagement, real estate strategy, housing finance, and health; all aimed to advance neighborhood efforts for people- and place-based transformation. 

Amanda worked with teams of community leaders to launch two organizations: LINK Houston and the Houston Housing Collaborative. The organizations play strategic roles in enhancing Houston’s advocacy ecosystem by addressing equitable transportation and affordable housing. 

Through appointments with leadership committees, Amanda has contributed to the policy agenda for City of Houston mayors and worked on issues including disaster recovery, comprehensive planning and workforce development. She currently serves as the board chair for LINK Houston. 

Amanda holds degrees from Southwestern University and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT-Austin. She makes her home in Houston with her husband and their three adult daughters who are at various stages of launching into the world. 

Cary Wright is the CEO of Good Reason Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to improving public education in Houston through collaboration with families, educators, policymakers, and philanthropists. 

Prior to becoming CEO in 2023, Cary served as the Chief External Affairs Officer for Good Reason Houston. He spent nearly a decade with Teach For America, culminating in his role as Executive Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Cary’s experience in public education, fundraising, public affairs, and nonprofit leadership spans over 15 years, including notable positions such as Press Secretary for the U.S. House of Representatives and an elementary school teacher in rural Mississippi. 

Beyond his professional commitments, Cary actively contributes to the Houston community as a board member of Houstonians for Great Public Schools and as a member of the Greater Houston Partnership’s UpSkill Executive Committee. Cary is also a member of the Davidson College Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

A native of Amarillo, Texas, Cary is the proud graduate of Texas public schools and received his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College where he studied English and Art History. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys traveling, exploring Houston’s culinary scene, and staying active. Cary resides in the Houston Heights with his boyfriend Nick and their beloved dogs, Memphis and Finn. 

Diana, a proud Houston native from an immigrant family, is dedicated to building a more equitable and opportunity-rich city. As Vice President of Community Impact at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, she leads the organization’s impactful work, from Understanding Houston—a regional awareness initiative developed with the Kinder Institute—to the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, which strengthens disaster response and resiliency. Her team oversees grants supporting economic mobility, intergenerational poverty reduction, and small business aid, benefiting hundreds of thousands across Houston and Texas. 

Diana joined the Foundation in 2019, quickly advancing from Senior Director of Community Philanthropy to her current leadership role, where she collaborates closely with the CEO, Board, and community partners. Prior to the Foundation, Diana led data and innovation strategies at BakerRipley and served as a policy advisor under the Obama Administration, focusing on economic mobility. Her work is rooted in expanding opportunities for families and communities. 

She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor’s in psychology and cultural anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. Diana completed the CFLeads Executive Leadership Institute in 2022, was named one of Houston’s 40 Under 40 in 2023, and is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum. She serves on the Board of FuelEd and spends her free time with her husband, Luis Negreros, and their three children. 

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