Pearland, Texas
City in the United States in Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Harris County
About Pearland
Pearland ( PEHR-land) is a city in Brazoria County, with portions extending into Fort Bend and Harris Counties, in Texas, United States. The city of Pearland is a principal city within the Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, Pearland had a population of 125,828, up from a population of 91,252 at the 2010 census. Pearland's population growth rate from 2000 to 2010 was 142%, which ranked Pearland as the 15th-fastest-growing city in the U.S. during that time, compared to other cities with a population of 10,000 or greater in 2000. Pearland is the third-largest city in the Greater Houston area after Houston and Pasadena, Texas.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Pearland is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Pearland
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
- Kevin Cole per Wikidata
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- pearlandtx.gov
Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 77581 or everyone in Texas.
Population over time
From 91,252 in 2010 to 125,828 in 2020 (+37.9%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 125,828 |
| 2010 | 91,252 |
History
Pearland had its beginnings near a siding switch on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway in 1882. When a post office was established in 1893, the community was named "Mark Belt". On September 24, 1894, the plat of "Pear-Land" was filed with the Brazoria County courthouse by Witold von Zychlinski, a man of Polish nobility. At the time, Pearland had many fruits harvested by residents. Zychlinski saw the pear trees and decided that "Pearland" would make a good name for the community.
In the 1800s, Pearland consisted of prairie. Residents harvested fruit and vegetables such as cantaloupes, corn, figs, pears, and watermelons. Pearland was promoted by developers Allison and Richey Land Company as an "agricultural Eden". The first subdivision was called "Suburban Gardens".
The Galveston hurricanes of 1900 and 1915 destroyed most of the city's fruit trees, slowed growth for a considerable period of time, and caused a period of desertification in the area. In 1914, with agriculture rebounding and the end of desertification, Pearland had a population of 400, but a devastating freeze in 1918 was another setback to the local farming enterprises. Oil was discovered nearby in 1934, which led to the development of the Hastings Oilfield, though it did not spur much growth, as the population fluctuated between 150 and 350. In the 1930s and 1940s, Pearland had many dance halls and beer joints that entertained people from the Hastings and Manvel oil fields.
Pearland incorporated in November 1959, with an area encompassing two square miles and a population of 1,910. In 1960, amidst a frenzy of cities incorporating or protecting large swathes of land in Brazoria County, Pearland annexed a 100 foot wide strip that encircled 60 square miles and extended westward to the Fort Bend County line to protect the area from annexation by Houston.
From the 1970s, the town has grown to its present-day population. By 1990, the city limits had extended into Harris County. In the 1990s, home developers began buying large tracts of land, changing the geography of the city. Former rice fields were filled with houses. The historic town center of Pearland is at the intersection of Texas State Highway 35/Main and Broadway. West Pearland has a lot of suburban development, while East Pearland has older houses, and according to Maggie Galehouse of the Houston Chronicle, Pearland's "rural roots still show" in the east side. Pearland's main east–west corridor is Farm to Market Road 518/Broadway.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.