Houston and Rice Village

Rice University is located in the heart of Houston, TX. In addition to being the fourth largest city in the U.S., Houston is also the most racially and ethnically diverse of the country’s 10 most populous metropolitan areas.

The Houston metro area has always attracted people with an entrepreneurial spirit. These days, it's also a premier destination for those who want to work at some of the country's largest companies. Because Houston is not only the hub of the oil and gas industries (and known as the "energy capital of the world"), it's also a major center of manufacturing and health care.

Houston also boasts more than 11,000 restaurants with everything from award-winning establishments like Underbelly to barbecue joints like Gatlin's BBQ. The metro area also offers a variety of international cuisine ranging from Ethiopian to Indian.

Houston is Cooler Than You Think

Beyond the Hedges website

  • Beyond the Hedges website
    This new comprehensive site includes information on restaurants, museums, local attractions, housing and lots of other places near the Rice campus. It has also incorporated the Student Center's off campus housing listing service.

Our students avail themselves of the rich cultural life that Houston has to offer with its many business and cultural districts – Rice Village and the Museum District (our home), the Energy Corridor, the Theater District and the Galleria/Uptown Park shopping district, to name a few. Much like the students we attract, Houston is a city that is multifaceted and ambitious. Consider:

  • There are more than 145 languages spoken here.
  • Houston ranks as a top 10 greenest city, with more than 128 miles of hike and bike trails along our parks and bayou system.
  • Our low cost of living means Houston ranks 1st among U.S. cities where paychecks stretch the farthest.
  • Houston is the top city for
  • minority entrepreneurs, according to Entrepreneur Magazine.
  • Business Wire ranks Houston as the #2 city for veterans to start a small business.
  • Places to worship include 37 megachurches, 40 synagogues and numerous temples and other denomination and faith-based opportunities.
  • Houston hosts the third largest concentration of consular offices, representing 86 nations.
  • We are home to professional football, soccer, baseball and basketball teams.
  • Resident companies in ballet, opera, symphony and theatre thrive in Houston.
  • As a "Third Coast" city, Houston provides easy access to beaches and pier attractions.