Houston was the fastest-growing community in Texas County in the last year, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Texas County seat of government’s head count was 2,281 on July 1, 2025, up 88 from the prior year, the agency said. It marked the biggest percentage jump — 4 percent — among incorporated communities in the county, it said.
Licking’s population grew 1.9 percent to 2,958. About 1,600 of those are inmates at the South Central Correctional Center on West Route 32. Cabool had a 1.1 percent growth. Its population was 2,089, the U.S. Census Bureau said.
In south-central Missouri, Houston’s increase was bigger than that of other regional trading hubs, including Mountain Grove, Rolla, West Plains and Salem. The Dent County community lost 30 residents.
Mountain Grove had a 1.1 percentage point jump in population; the remainder were nominal, the U.S. Census Bureau said.
Houston’s growth comes after a dedicated effort to increase housing opportunities. Several duplexes have been constructed in the last two years. An apartment complex is under construction on West Route 17. Shingles went on last week. A subdivision is under construction off Oak Hill Drive. The City of Houston has a housing incentive program and is targeting property deemed a nuisance. Some residences have been upgraded; others demolished to make room for new homes.
Two large capital projects promise to bring more opportunities to Houston’s residents: A recreation facility and ball fields on Spruce Street by the City of Houston. It is located across the street from the Houston High School baseball field. East of there, the Houston School District will soon begin improvements at Tiger Stadium, including a new eight-lane track and other measures to increase accessibility for patrons. Other projects are on the drawing boards, including development of an industrial park east of the chamber fairgrounds on North U.S. 63.
Sales tax revenue also remains strong in Houston. Collections from a long-standing one-cent sales tax totaled $363,966 through April, an increase of $13,250 from the period in 2025.
