Chinatown, Houston

Chinatown is a special community in Southwest Houston, Texas, in the United States. People often call it by its Chinese name, 華埠 or 中國城.

There is also a place called "Old Chinatown" in East Downtown Houston, near the George R. Brown Convention Center.

This area is sometimes called "Bellaire" after Bellaire Boulevard. By 2025, many people started calling it Asiatown as well.

History

Houston's Chinatown began in the early 1900s but became more organized in 1951 with the help of a group of Chinese business owners. Originally, it was located in the East Downtown area, where early Chinese shops and restaurants served the community. Over time, the Chinese community grew and moved to new areas, leading to the creation of a new Chinatown around Bellaire Boulevard in the 1980s. This new area grew as more Asian American business owners moved there for more space and lower costs.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Chinatown continued to grow and attract people from many different Asian backgrounds. By 2025, the area was also called Asiatown, though not everyone agreed with this new name. During the COVID-19 pandemic, false rumors hurt business in the area, but it remains an important cultural and social center for many.

Cityscape

The Southwest Management District describes Chinatown in Houston as being between Redding Rd and Gessner Rd to the east, Westpark Dr to the north, Beltway 8 to the west, and Beechnut St to the south. It covers about 2.37 square miles (6.1 km²).

According to the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chinatown together with Little Saigon forms an area known as Asiatown. This area is roughly bordered by Fondren Road, Beechnut Street, State Highway 6, and Westpark Drive, sitting between Alief and the city of Bellaire.

The Bellaire Chinatown is about 12 miles southwest of Downtown Houston and spans over 6 square miles (16 km²), making it one of the largest car-friendly Chinatowns in the Southern United States. It lies between Westchase and the City of Sugar Land, and is mostly built on open land with few trees.

Many shops, restaurants, and services in this Chinatown serve different Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Thai, and Vietnamese. You can also find restaurants that mix different food styles, called fusion cuisine.

Demographics

As of 2012, the part of Chinatown in the Greater Sharpstown area had 29,993 people. Most of these people were middle class.

Government and instrastructure

Two Houston City Council districts, F and J, serve the new Chinatown. District J was created to help Hispanics elect representatives who understand their needs.

The new Chinatown is served by two Houston Police Department patrol divisions: the Midwest Patrol Division and the Westside Patrol Division. The Midwest division has an office called the Ranchester Storefront in the Diho Square complex.

Fire stations within Chinatown’s area include Station 10 Bellaire and Station 76 Alief Community, both part of Fire District 83. Station 10 moved to its current place in 1985, and Station 76 was built that same year.

Economy

Many banks are found along a short stretch of Bellaire Boulevard near Beltway 8. These banks serve both local residents and Asian American business owners. One executive even called this area the Wall Street of Chinatown.

For many years, only a few banks were in the area, such as Wells Fargo. Over time, more banks opened to support the growing number of Asian businesses. By 2007, several banks had opened, including MetroBank and Texas First National Bank, which is now called Golden Bank. Some banks, like Southwestern National Bank, have their main offices in Chinatown.

Education

The new Chinatown area is served by two school districts. Most of it falls under the Alief Independent School District, while a smaller eastern part is covered by the Houston Independent School District.

In the Alief district, several elementary schools serve the Chinatown area, and students can attend three high schools all located in Chinatown. The Houston ISD part of Chinatown is served by different elementary and middle schools, with students going to either Sharpstown High School or Wisdom High School. There are also private schools, such as Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and Saint Agnes Academy, located in Chinatown.

Transportation

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, often called METRO, runs local buses that stop near this area.

Chinese Community Institutions

Chinatown in Houston is more than just shops—it’s a place where people keep their culture alive and help each other. For example, the Southwest Chinese Journal was a newspaper started in 1976 that helped new families learn about life in America and told them about local events. The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association helped newcomers by offering a place to stay and celebrating important holidays together.

The Chinese Community Center at 9800 Town Park Dr. helps bring people from different backgrounds together. It started in 1979 as a school and now offers many classes, including English. The center also has many programs and events for families. There are also places for different religions, like churches and temples, near Chinatown. In 2022, a large mural showing many Asian cultures was created there by artist Thomas Tran, with help from over 200 volunteers.

Miss Chinatown Pageant

Since 1971, the Miss Chinatown Houston Pageant, started by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Houston Lodge, has given many scholarships to young women of Chinese descent. The winners have had the chance to compete in the Miss Chinatown US pageant in San Francisco. The first winner was Cheelan Bo-Lin in 1971.