Houston City Council members earn a base salary of roughly $62,983 per year. Every member receives the same pay, whether they represent one of the 11 geographic districts or hold one of the 5 at-large seats, and the figure has stayed essentially flat for years.
What the Base Pay Includes
The $62,983 is paid in regular installments from the city’s general fund. Salary and district office staff pay come out of a single allotment, so a member who hires more experienced aides has less flexibility elsewhere in that budget.
One point worth clearing up: the position is not legally full-time. The city charter states that council members “shall not be required to devote their full time to the duties of their offices.”1Municode Library. Charter – Houston, Texas Weekly meetings, committee work, and constituent demands often fill the schedule anyway, but the charter does not treat the seat the way some other large cities do.
Benefits and Expense Coverage
Council members can enroll in the same group health plans offered to other municipal workers. The notable gap is retirement. Elected city officials are explicitly excluded from the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, which covers full-time city employees but carves out police, firefighters, and elected officials.2Texas Pension Review Board. Houston Municipal Employees Pension System Time on council does not build a city pension.
On the expense side, the city covers travel, vehicle use, and other costs tied to official business, and each council office receives administrative support, staff, and equipment through the annual budget. Districts can span dozens of square miles, and those costs come out of the city budget rather than the member’s salary.
Why the Salary Has Not Moved
Authority over elected-official pay sits in the Houston City Charter, and any change requires a public council vote. There is no automatic cost-of-living escalator. Members would have to vote themselves a raise on the record, which has produced a long stretch with no adjustment while inflation has eroded the pay’s value.
Can Council Members Hold Other Jobs?
Yes. Because the charter does not require full-time service, members can hold outside employment or run businesses. There is no dollar cap on outside earnings. The limits are ethical: Houston’s Standards of Conduct prohibit business or professional activities that conflict with official duties, and members cannot use city property, staff, or resources for personal or campaign purposes.3City of Houston. Ethics in City Government for City Council Members and Staff
A specific disclosure rule kicks in when a member has a “substantial interest” in a business entity, defined as receiving funds from that entity exceeding 10 percent of the member’s gross income for the prior year. In that case the member must file an affidavit with the City Secretary and sit out any council vote involving the entity.3City of Houston. Ethics in City Government for City Council Members and Staff
What the Mayor and Controller Earn
The other two citywide elected officials make significantly more. Mayor John Whitmire, who took office in January 2024, receives an annual salary of approximately $236,189. City Controller Chris Hollins, the independently elected chief financial officer, earns in the range of $157,000 per year.
How Houston Compares to Other Large Cities
Houston’s number is modest by big-city standards.
- Los Angeles council members earn $244,727 per year, a figure tied by city charter to the salary of Los Angeles County Superior Court judges.4Control Panel LA. City Elected Officials Pay Rate
- New York City council members currently earn $148,500 per year, with pending legislation that would raise that to $172,500.5The New York City Council. Int 1493-2025
- Chicago aldermen earn $152,016 as of January 2026, with annual increases automatically tied to the Consumer Price Index unless individual members opt out.6The Chicago Crusader. Chicago City Black Aldermen to Make $152K After Pay Raise
Houston members earn roughly a quarter of what their Los Angeles counterparts make and less than half of Chicago’s figure. Part of the gap is structural. Los Angeles and New York treat council seats as full-time jobs with restrictions on outside work, while Houston’s charter assumes members may hold other employment. Chicago’s automatic inflation adjustment also avoids the on-the-record raise vote that has kept Houston’s salary frozen.