Pearland is a city in Texas, United States. It's mostly in Brazoria County, but parts also reach into Fort Bend and Harris counties. Pearland is a main city in the larger Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land area.

In 2020, about 125,828 people lived in Pearland. This was a big jump from 91,252 people in 2010. From 2000 to 2010, Pearland grew by 142 percent! This made it one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Pearland is now the third-largest city in the Greater Houston area, after Houston and Pasadena, Texas.

Pearland's Past: A Look at Its History
Where is Pearland? Understanding Its Geography
- Pearland's Size and Surroundings
- Popular Neighborhoods in Pearland
Who Lives in Pearland? Demographics and Diversity
- A Diverse Community
- Religious Life in Pearland
Pearland's Economy: How People Work and Shop
Learning in Pearland: Schools and Libraries
Getting Around Pearland: Transportation
Famous Faces: Notable People from Pearland
Global Friends: Pearland's Sister Cities
See also

Pearland's Past: A Look at Its History

Pearland started in 1882 near a train track switch. In 1893, it got a post office and was first called "Mark Belt." A man named Witold von Zychlinski, who was Polish nobility, officially named the area "Pear-Land" in 1894. He saw many pear trees growing there and thought it was a perfect name.

Early Days and Farming Life

In the 1800s, Pearland was mostly open prairie. People grew many fruits and vegetables, like cantaloupes, corn, figs, pears, and watermelons. Developers even called it an "agricultural Eden," meaning a farming paradise. The first neighborhood was named "Suburban Gardens."

Challenges and Changes Over Time

Big storms, like the Galveston hurricane of 1900 and the Galveston hurricane of 1915, destroyed most of the fruit trees. This slowed the city's growth for a long time. In 1914, Pearland had 400 people, but a bad freeze in 1918 hurt farming again.

Oil was found nearby in 1934, leading to the Hastings Oilfield. However, this didn't make the city grow much. In the 1930s and 1940s, Pearland had many dance halls and places to get drinks, which were popular with oil field workers.

Modern Growth and Development

Pearland has grown a lot since the 1970s. By 1990, the city limits reached into Harris County. In the 1990s, home builders started buying large areas of land. This changed the city's look as former rice fields became neighborhoods filled with houses.

The old part of Pearland is at the crossing of Texas State Highway 35/Main and Broadway. West Pearland has many new neighborhoods, while East Pearland has older homes and still shows its "rural roots." The main road going east-west is Farm to Market Road 518/Broadway.

Where is Pearland? Understanding Its Geography

Pearland is located in northern Brazoria County, just south of Houston. Some parts of the city also extend into Harris County and a smaller part into Fort Bend County. It's about 16 miles (26 km) north of downtown Houston.

Pearland's Size and Surroundings

The city covers about 47.4 square miles (122.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. Pearland is surrounded by other towns and cities. Houston and Brookside Village are to the north, Manvel is to the south, and Friendswood is to the east.

Popular Neighborhoods in Pearland

Most of Pearland (83%) is made up of homes. The city has many large, well-planned communities. Some of the most popular ones include Sunrise Lakes, Southern Trails, Southdown, Lakes of Highland Glen, and Shadow Creek Ranch. Other areas like Country Place and Silverlake are close by but not officially part of the city.

Who Lives in Pearland? Demographics and Diversity

Pearland's population has grown very quickly. In 2000, there were 37,640 people, and by 2010, it jumped to 91,252. By 2020, the population reached 125,828 people.

A Diverse Community

Pearland is a very diverse city. In 2010, about 62% of people were White, 16.4% were African American, and 12.4% were Asian. About 20.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. By 2019, the city became even more diverse, with many different backgrounds represented. People in Pearland speak at least 62 different languages in the public schools!

Religious Life in Pearland

Many people in Pearland are part of a religious group. Christianity is the largest religion, with Baptists, Catholics, and Methodists being the biggest Christian groups. There are also large groups of people who follow Islam, Judaism, and Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism.

Pearland has several places of worship. St. Helen Catholic Church is one of the largest Catholic churches in the area. There are also many Baptist churches, like New Harvest Christian Fellowship and Shadycrest Baptist Church. The Chabad Pearland Jewish Center is the first Jewish center in the city, opened in 2009. The Sri Meenakshi Temple is a Hindu temple that has been in Pearland since 1979. The Pearland Islamic Center opened around 2012.

Pearland's Economy: How People Work and Shop

Pearland's job market has grown a lot as its population has increased. The number of jobs in the city almost doubled from 2000 to 2008. Many people who live in Pearland travel to work in the Texas Medical Center or other job centers in Houston. Some also work for NASA at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

Shadow Creek Ranch

Growing Healthcare Industry

In recent years, Pearland's economy has focused on healthcare. Many healthcare companies have opened offices and facilities here. For example, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic opened a large office building in Shadow Creek Ranch with 800 employees. Other medical companies, like Cardiovascular Systems and Merit Medical Systems, also have facilities in Pearland. By 2020, about half of the city's economy was related to healthcare.

Top Employers in Pearland

Here are some of the biggest employers in Pearland:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Pearland Independent School District	2,766
2	Kelsey Seybold Clinic	863
3	City of Pearland	853
4	Alvin Independent School District	785
5	Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital	450
6	Lonza Group	444
7	Merit Medical Industries	360
8	HCA (Pearland Medical Center)	300
9	Dover Corporation	220
10	Third Coast Chemicals	200

Shopping and Fun in Pearland

Pearland has seen a lot of growth in its retail sales. It was one of the fastest-growing retail markets in Texas for several years. There are many large shopping centers and places to eat.

Pearland Town Center is a huge shopping area that opened in 2008.
Shadow Creek Town Center is another big retail and dining spot.
Other shopping centers include Silverlake Village Shopping Center and The Crossing @ 288.

Healthcare Services in the City

Pearland has several hospitals and clinics, including Memorial Hermann Pearland and Pearland Medical Center. There's also SEVA Clinic, which is Pearland's first free charity clinic, offering primary care for people who need it.

Every year, Pearland hosts "Wobble before you Gobble," a large health fair. It offers free health checkups, screenings, and information on nutrition and healthy living. Local schools and workout specialists also take part, showing off their talents and leading exercise sessions.

Learning in Pearland: Schools and Libraries

Pearland has many schools and learning opportunities for students of all ages.

The Education Support Center, headquarters of Pearland ISD

Public Schools for All Ages

Most of Pearland is served by the Pearland Independent School District (Pearland ISD). This district includes schools like Pearland High School and Glenda Dawson High School.

Other parts of Pearland are in different school districts:

Alvin Independent School District (Alvin ISD) serves areas like Shadow Creek Ranch. Students here might go to Shadow Creek High School or Manvel High School.
Fort Bend Independent School District (Fort Bend ISD) has schools in Houston and Missouri City that serve parts of Pearland.
Pasadena Independent School District (Pasadena ISD) has South Belt Elementary School within Pearland's city limits. Students in this area go to Dobie High School in Houston.
Clear Creek Independent School District (Clear Creek ISD) and Houston Independent School District (Houston ISD) also serve small parts of Pearland.

Glenda Dawson High School

Private School Options

Pearland also has several private schools:

St. Helen Catholic School is a K-8 (kindergarten through 8th grade) school run by the Catholic Church. It has grown a lot and now serves about 400 students.
The Eagle Heights Christian Academy offers classes from Pre-K to 12th grade.
Heritage Christian Academy is another private school in Pearland.
The Montessori School of Downtown has two locations in Pearland for children from infancy to 5th grade.

Some international schools in Houston, like Awty International School and Saint Thomas' Episcopal School, offer bus services for students living in Pearland.

Colleges and Higher Education

For higher education, students in Pearland can attend different community colleges depending on their school district.

Alvin Community College (ACC) serves the Pearland ISD and Alvin ISD areas.
San Jacinto College serves the Pasadena ISD area.
Houston Community College (HCC) serves the Houston ISD and Fort Bend ISD areas.

The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) also has a campus right in Pearland, offering university-level courses.

Public Libraries for Everyone

The Pearland Library, located on Liberty Drive, is part of the Brazoria County Library System. It's a great place for students and families to find books, learn, and use computers.

Getting Around Pearland: Transportation

Pearland has several ways for people to travel, both within the city and to nearby areas.

Public Transit Options

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) has plans for a "Park and Ride" facility in Pearland. This would allow people to park their cars and take a bus to places like the Texas Medical Center or downtown Houston.

Airports Near Pearland

Pearland has two small, privately-owned airports: Pearland Regional Airport and Skyway Manor Airport. Both are open for public use. The closest public airport is the Brazoria County Airport. For bigger flights, people use William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Major Roads and Highways

Pearland is connected to Houston by State Highway 288. FM 518, also known as Broadway, is the main road that goes east and west through the city. State Highway 35, or Main Street, is the main road going north and south. The Texas State Highway Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway) is a large toll road that runs along the northern edge of Pearland.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Pearland

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Pearland, including:

Joseph Gutheinz, a retired NASA employee who looked into stolen and missing Moon rocks.
The 1980s band The Judy's.
Clay Hensley, a Major League Baseball pitcher.
Kyle Kacal, a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
Richard Machowicz, a TV personality and former Navy Seal.
Bunny Meyer, a popular YouTube personality.
Thomas Morstead, an NFL punter.
Normani, a singer and former member of Fifth Harmony, who moved to Pearland after Hurricane Katrina.
Megan Thee Stallion, a famous rapper and actress who graduated from Pearland High School.
Randy Weber, a member of the United States Congress.
Fozzy Whittaker, a retired NFL running back.
Connor Wong, an MLB player for the Boston Red Sox.
Alyah Chanelle Scott, an actress.

Global Friends: Pearland's Sister Cities

Pearland has special connections with cities around the world, called "sister cities." These connections help promote cultural understanding and friendship.

Markham, Ontario, Canada
Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Lopez, Quezon, Philippines
Palencia, Spain

Pearland, Texas facts for kids

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