More residents are planting roots in Cypress as people from other regions of Harris County and Texas are moving to rapidly-developing neighborhoods near the Grand Parkway, recently released federal data shows.

About the data: The U.S. Census Bureau released new five-year data for 2024 on Jan. 29 as part of its American Communities Survey, or ACS, which estimates population changes across the country between 2020-2024.

This data compares with the 2019 ACS survey results, which analyzed communities across the nation between 2015-2019.

The overview: The Cypress population grew notably in 77433 as master-planned communities near the Grand Parkway, including Bridgeland and Elyson, have added thousands of new homes to the western region.

Also of note: An analysis of racial demographics within Cy-Fair ISD's boundaries shows increased diversity within the community compared to the 2019 estimates, with a significantly larger percentage of residents identifying as two or more races.

One more thing: While median household incomes increased overall, the percentage of residents without health insurance also increased in each ZIP code since 2019, aside from 77065.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, PAM Health has filed plans to construct a $26 million facility in Cypress.

What we know: The 62,200-square-foot facility will house 52 patient beds, according to the filing, and construction is projected to begin in May. According to the website, PAM Health rehab services cover medical issues including:

• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Amputation care
• Joint replacement
• Speech therapy
• Behavioral health

A major new natural gas power project in east Houston just cleared another state milestone, pushing a planned 455-megawatt plant closer to reality as Texas races to add generation amid rising demand.

What this means: Gov. Greg Abbott announced the new unit planned at the existing Greens Bayou facility has been designated a qualified project under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation program, according to a Feb. 17 news release. The plant represents $617 million in capital investment and is expected to start producing electricity for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas region in 2028, according to the governor’s office.

The project is intended to strengthen grid reliability and create jobs, crediting state leaders and local partners for helping move the plan ahead, per the release.

What’s next: According to the release, with the JETI designation now in place, the focus shifts to the buildout and timeline leading up to the planned 2028 start date—when the additional capacity is expected to begin feeding electricity into the ERCOT grid.