La Porte, Texas
La Porte is a city in Harris County on the northwest shore of Galveston Bay, about 20 miles east of Houston. It sits at the edge of the Houston Ship Channel, spanned here by the tall cable-stayed Fred Hartman Bridge, and its industrial waterfront ties it to the region's petrochemical economy. The city is known for the Sylvan Beach recreation area on the bay and for its proximity to the San Jacinto Battleground, the site of the 1836 battle that ended the Texas Revolution.
Place essentials
Official Census snapshot- Census place type
- City
- July 2025 population
- 37,983
- Change from 2020 base
- +8.1%
- Land area
- 18.6 sq. mi.
- County footprint
- Harris County
Place type, county footprint, and land area use the Census Bureau's January 1, 2025 geography. Population uses Vintage 2025 estimates through July 1, 2025; change compares that estimate with the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Geography file | Population file
Property here runs through the appraisal district and tax office for Harris County. The homestead exemption, appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level.
Official routes
Use the office for the parcel address; a mailing city is not always the governing city.
County context
What to know around La Porte
County lines carry much of the property, land, water, and outdoors context around La Porte.
State Historic Site
San Jacinto's Battle Lasted 18 Minutes; Recognition Took Years
Sam Houston's army won a surprise victory in 18 minutes, but the agreements that followed were rejected and did not bring immediate Mexican recognition.
Appraisal District
Who Sets Your Property Value in Harris County
The Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) sets the taxable value of every property in the county each year.
County History
Harris County Was Founded in 1836 and Named After an Early Settler
Harris County was established by the First Congress of the Republic of Texas and named after John R. Harris, who built an early port town on Buffalo Bayou.
Nearby
Places near La Porte
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Local notes for nearby counties
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