boasts the largest all volunteer municipal fire department in the United States, the Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department. The city's economy is closely linked to the nearby Houston Ship Channel and its related industrial districts, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in the bordering Clear Lake area. For more information visit the Pasadena community website.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,674 people, 47,031 households, and 35,179 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,208.1 people per square mile (1,238.7/km²). There were 50,367 housing units at an average density of 1,140.5/sq mi (440.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.45% White, 1.63% African American, 0.68% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 21.30% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.24% of the population.

There were 47,031 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.48.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,522, and the median income for a family was $42,541. Males had a median income of $34,330 versus $25,869 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,301. About 13.2% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Houston's energy industry is recognized worldwide—particularly for oil—and biomedical research, aeronautics, and the ship channel are also large parts of its economic base. The area is a leading center for building oilfield equipment. Much of Houston's success as a petrochemical complex is due to its busy man-made ship channel, the Port of Houston. The port ranks first in the United States in international commerce, and is the tenth-largest port in the world. Unlike most places, where high oil and gasoline prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston as many are employed in the energy industry.

The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown MSA's Gross Area Product (GAP) in 2006 was $325.5 billion, slightly larger than Austria’s, Poland’s or Saudi Arabia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). When comparing Houston's economy to a national economy, only 21 countries other than the United States have a gross domestic product exceeding Houston's regional gross area product. Mining, which in Houston is almost entirely exploration and production of oil and gas, accounts for 11% of Houston's GAP; this is down from 21% in 1985. The reduced role of oil and gas in Houston's GAP reflects the rapid growth of other sectors, such as engineering services, health services, and manufacturing.

Houston ranks second in employment growth rate and fourth in nominal employment growth among the 10 most populous metro areas in the U.S. In 2006, the Houston metropolitan area ranked first in Texas and third in the U.S. within the category of "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes magazine. Forty foreign governments maintain trade and commercial offices here and the city has 23 active foreign chambers of commerce and trade associations. Twenty foreign banks representing 10 nations operate in Houston, providing financial assistance to the international community.

Attractions
The city has several museums, including the Pasadena Historical Museum, the Bay Area Museum and Armand Bayou Nature Center. Pasadena also has a community theater (Pasadena Little Theatre), a large rodeo each year (Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo) and orchestra (the Pasadena Philharmonic). The city's newspaper is the Pasadena Citizen.

Because of its location near the enormous amount of refineries that dot the ship channel (which help to make Houston's petrochemical complex the largest in the nation), Pasadena has been dubbed by locals with the nickname "Stinkadena." Another reason for the name may be the large sewage treatment plant located along State Highway 225 that links Houston to Pasadena. Another nickname, "Pasa-get-down-dena", was coined in the mid-1980s by a Houston morning radio DJ named Moby on his show Moby in the Morning on the long gone station, 97 Rock. At least two country music songs have been recorded with "Pasa-get-down-dena" as the title: one by Kenefick on their album "Hard Road," and John Evans on his album "Biggest Fool in Town."

Pasadena was enshrined in film history when John Travolta, Debra Winger and others descended on the city to film the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered around the city's enormous honky-tonk bar Gilley's, which was co-owned by country music star Mickey Gilley. In 1989 Gilley's suffered an arson fire that gutted the interior, but the building's shell was still standing until 2006 when it was demolished by the Pasadena Independent School District, its current owner. Only the old sound recording studio remains. The old sign was moved to the Cowboy Ranch, a local restaurant no longer in business. After the restaurant's demise the sign was actioned off on the website eBay. Gilley still makes his home in Pasadena.

The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 caused many people to resettle in Pasadena. Clara Barton of the American Red Cross purchased 1.5 million strawberry plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the flood get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the moniker of Strawberry Capital of the World. At its height, the city's strawberry growers shipped as many as 28 train carloads of strawberries each day. To honor that history, the city still holds an annual "Strawberry Festival," and today Strawberry Road stretches through much of the city near where the old strawberry crops grew.

Education
Colleges and universities
Institutions of higher education include:

• University of Houston–Clear Lake (partially in Pasadena, partially in Houston)


• San Jacinto College (Central Campus and System Headquarters) a community college system which serves all of Pasadena as well as all and portions of several other school districts.


• Texas Chiropractic College–Founded in 1908, Texas Chiropractic College is the fourth oldest chiropractic college in the nation and recognized as one of the very best. TCC is accredited as a Level V doctoral degree granting institution by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It shares this distinction with other reputable medical schools such as Baylor College of Medicine and the UT Medical Branch at Galveston. TCC has maintained continuous accreditation since 1971 and enjoys a stable and secure financial condition as well, annually generating an operational surplus. Its first-of-its-kind Hospital Rotations Program is a pioneer in the integrated health care field. The program provides interns the opportunity to rotate in nearly 30 hospitals and clinics throughout the Houston metropolitan area, including the world-renowned Texas Medical Center.

Primary and secondary schools
Most of city of Pasadena is served by the Pasadena Independent School District. Some of the eastern part is served by Deer Park Independent School District, some of the southern part is served by Clear Creek Independent School District and La Porte Independent School District.

Transportation
Many areas in Harris County are served by Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO), a public transportation agency headquartered in Downtown Houston.

Two commercial airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, are located in Houston and in Harris County.