Chicago vs Houston
Chicago leads Houston by 2 points on the TRAIL Index, 69 to 67. Chicago grades better on 7 measures, Houston on 6; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- TRAIL Index: Chicago 69, Houston 67
- OECD: Chicago 67, Houston 65
- UN Tourism: Chicago 64, Houston 66
- UNDRR: Chicago 66, Houston 67
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Chicago 70, Houston 75
- Economy and jobs: Chicago 92, Houston 92
- Climate and hazards: Chicago 65, Houston 40
- Water and environment: Chicago 50, Houston 50
- Community and housing: Chicago 75, Houston 67
- Access and continuity: Chicago 71, Houston 79
Where Chicago is stronger
- Largest foreign market: 23 % of international arrivals or nights (Choose Chicago, Chicago Tourism Performance (Updated May 2025), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
- Hotel bed or room occupancy: 68.2 % average annual occupancy (Choose Chicago, Research & Analysis: Chicago Tourism Performance, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
- Extreme heat days: 2.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
- Tropical nights: 34.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 30 and 60: grade 2/4.
- Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
- Municipal waste per resident: 544.7 kg per resident per year (City of Chicago & Delta Institute, 2021 City of Chicago Waste Strategy, 2020). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
- Short-let density: 0.7 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Inside Airbnb & U.S. Census Bureau ACS Profile, 2024). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.
Where Houston is stronger
- Nights in the three busiest months: 28.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
- Recovery against 2019: 110 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Houston First Corporation / Tourism Economics, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
- Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
- Rent growth: -2.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Apartment List, Houston Rent Report: September 2026, August 2025–August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
- Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (City of Houston Office of Emergency Management, 2024–2025). Grade 4/4.
- Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Houston First Corporation / City of Houston, 2024–2025). Grade 3/4.
Country context (World Economic Forum)
- United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
- United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
Chicago in full · Houston in full
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