Friendswood, TX Population: 41,319 Residents and What That Means for Homes
Friendswood is a Houston-area suburb of detached houses and mostly settled neighborhoods.
Key takeaway
Friendswood is a Houston-area suburb of about 41,319 (Census Bureau Population Estimate, Vintage 2025, as of July 1, 2025) residents. For anyone buying or selling, the more useful fact is how few homes change hands. The median sale price fell over the past year while supply stayed tight, so buyers have room to negotiate on price but not a deep pool to choose from. If you need more choice, compare against Houston.
Who this guide is for
You're considering a move to Friendswood or a sale there, and you want to know how big the city is, whether it's growing, and how many homes you'll be choosing from or competing against.
How large is Friendswood's population?
Friendswood's head count is small and steady, so turnover, not population, decides your options. Nearly every sale is a detached house: 216 of the 226 transactions in the 90 days ending September 30, 2026. Supply sits at just 2.8 months, yet the median sale price fell sharply year over year. That unusual combination gives buyers room on price without the glut of listings that usually comes with it.
The Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 Population Estimate put the city at 41,319 residents as of July 1, 2025. That is up from 41,213 in the April 1, 2020 Census and 35,805 in 2010. Estimates between censuses are modeled and get revised, so check the vintage year on any population figure you read.
Is Friendswood growing?
Friendswood's population rose about 15.1% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. It then rose about 0.3% from 2020 to the July 2025 estimate, which is essentially flat.
As of October 2025, only about 14% of the city's land remained to develop. That prompted the city to pursue a new 20-year comprehensive plan, expected for adoption in summer 2026, covering future land use, infrastructure and mobility.
With little land left, the listing pool tracks owner turnover more than new construction, so buyers wanting a brand-new home will find limited options inside the city limits. Recent projects include:
the approved 24-lot Sterling Estates
an 11-acre Wild Pines plat split into two lots
a pending 135-lot Falling Leaf Ranch proposal on one of the last large undeveloped tracts
How big is Friendswood?
The city covers 20.76 square miles of land, according to 2020 Census QuickFacts. Dividing 41,319 residents by 20.76 square miles gives roughly 1,990 people per square mile.
That density means a layout of mostly detached homes on individual lots. What you trade away is walkability, since most errands require a car. Checking the Friendswood, TX zip codes is a useful step when evaluating different locations.
How population shapes the Friendswood housing market
About 77.2% of Friendswood's housing units are owner-occupied, according to the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimate. With that ownership rate in a city this size, only a fraction of properties are for sale at any given time.
The 226 sales in the 90 days ending September 30, 2026, annualize to roughly 900 a year on a straight-line basis, though real estate is seasonal. That works out to about 22 sales per 1,000 residents.
Homes are selling at 97.6% of list price, and only 13.4% sold above list. The typical home recently sold under asking, so offering below list price is normal here.
Pros and cons of a small market for buyers and sellers
Buyers get room to negotiate on a detached house. The single-family median sale price fell 10.7% year over year, and these homes sold at 97.7% of list price during the 90 days ending September 30, 2026. The downside is a thin pool, with active inventory of just 206 homes across all property types, so waiting for the right house takes patience. Compare mortgage rates in Friendswood and factor buyer closing costs into your budget before making an offer.
Sellers face few competing listings. The complication is that comparable sales from a year ago predate the recent price drops, so they can overstate today's value. Use comparable sales from the last 90 days, not the last year, when pricing or making an offer.
Before settling on an address, verify its school zoning with the Friendswood ISD or Clear Creek ISD boundary lookup. The sales figures here cover one 90-day window, and conditions can shift quickly in a market this small.
At a glance
Median sale price, all homes: $403,808 (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Median sale price, single-family: $419,833 (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Year-over-year change in median sale price: -14.1% all homes, -10.7% single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Homes sold: 226 all homes, 216 single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Median days on market: 31, all homes and single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Sale-to-list ratio: 97.6% all homes, 97.7% single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Share sold above list price: 13.4% all homes, 14.1% single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Months of supply: 2.8, all homes and single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Active inventory: 206 all homes, 201 single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Median price per square foot: $178, all homes and single-family (90 days ending Sept 30, 2026)
Friendswood population FAQs
Is Friendswood one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas?
No. In the Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimates, Princeton, Texas was the fastest-growing city in the nation among cities over 20,000, at 30.6% between July 2023 and July 2024. Friendswood has stayed nearly flat since 2020.
What county is Friendswood, TX in?
The city spans both counties: Harris County lies north of Clear Creek and Galveston County lies south of it within the city limits. Confirm which county appraisal district assesses a specific property before estimating your property taxes.
Is Friendswood its own city or part of Houston?
Friendswood is an independent city with its own government, incorporated in 1960. It sits within the broader Houston metropolitan area.
How far is Friendswood from downtown Houston?
It's approximately 23 miles via I-45 N. The drive typically takes 29 to 36 minutes depending on traffic.
Is Friendswood expensive?
The median sale price for all homes was $403,808, or $178 per square foot, in the 90 days ending September 30, 2026.
Does Friendswood flood?
Parts of the city sit near Clear Creek and its tributaries, so flood risk varies by address. The city enforces floodplain management, and major flood mitigation projects are underway. Look up any address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and review the seller's flood disclosure before making an offer.
What ZIP code is Friendswood, TX?
The main ZIP code for standard delivery is 77546, while 77549 is used for PO boxes. Some addresses with a 77546 mailing address fall outside the city limits, so verify the city boundaries for a specific house.
