Located in the southwestern region of Harris County, Texas, Bellaire is a city situated within the expansive Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.

Bellaire is situated in close proximity to Houston and West University Place. It is recognized as the “City of Homes” due to its predominantly residential nature, although there are also office spaces located within the city limits along the I-610 Loop.

In 1950, there were 10,173 people living in the city, and there were 3,186 houses. Over the next two years, around 600 to 700 new houses were built each year. This led to a growth in population and the need for more schools. During that time, Bellaire High School, Marian High School, and two elementary schools were established. Additionally, Condit Elementary received an expansion. In the 1960s, about 250 houses in Bellaire were torn down to create space for the I-610 Loop, which divided the city.

Bellaire is situated at a latitude of 29.70306° N and a longitude of 95.46833° W. As per the United States Census Bureau, the city encompasses an area of approximately 3.6 square miles, which is entirely composed of land. Bellaire is bordered by the cities of Houston, West University Place, and Southside Place.

The city had a population of 17,202 individuals, with 6,755 households and 5,627 families, according to the 2020 United States census.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s Holy Ghost Church is situated within the city limits of Houston, merely a stone’s throw away from Bellaire. The church’s structure takes the form of a “T” shape.

Bellaire is home to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the three Coptic Orthodox churches serving the Houston community.

Bellaire’s governing system is currently modeled after a city manager style of government, a change from the previous general law form of government, which was replaced on April 2, 1949. The city’s leadership consists of a mayor and six city council members, all of whom are elected by the people and serve in their positions for different durations. The mayor serves for two-year terms, while city council members are elected for four-year terms. There is a limit to the number of terms that the mayor and city council members can serve, with the mayor being restricted to four terms and city council members limited to two terms.

Bellaire has designated areas for light industrial, commercial, and combined residential and commercial purposes.

Every year, Bellaire organizes a festive Fourth of July parade and a magical “snow”-filled Christmas celebration in the park.

In 2000, Bellaire’s Little League baseball team participated in the Little League World Series, but unfortunately, they were defeated by the team from Maracaibo, Venezuela. Two years later, in 2002, Bellaire’s team was moved to the same league as the West University Place team, marking a change from their previous separate league format.

HISD is responsible for education in the city of Houston. Bellaire falls under the jurisdiction of Trustee District V.

Students residing within the 610 Loop in Bellaire are assigned to attend Paul W. Horn Academy for their elementary education. On the other hand, students in Bellaire who live outside of the 610 Loop have the option to attend either Al J. Condit Elementary School or Lovett Elementary School, with the latter being situated in Houston. Condit Elementary School can be found on blocks 29-30 of the original Bellaire townsite.

Moreover, all students residing in Bellaire are assigned to attend Pershing Middle School in the Braeswood Place neighborhood of Houston and Bellaire High School in Bellaire. Furthermore, Pin Oak Middle School, built in 2002, is situated within Bellaire and is an optional middle school for students zoned to Johnston, Long, and Pershing Middle Schools. As a result, Bellaire students have the opportunity to attend Pin Oak, which was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2008.

Residents of the region are provided with the Bellaire/West U/River Oaks/Meyerland local section of the Houston Chronicle, which is the main newspaper in the area.

The Village News and Southwest News is the longest-running local newspaper currently being published in Bellaire. Its offices are located at 5160 Spruce Street. The Bellaire Examiner is a newspaper that is also given out for free to residents. The Bellaire Buzz, which is one of four magazines created by The Buzz Magazines, is a monthly publication that focuses on the people, products, and services in the community. It is sent to all residents at no cost during the first week of each month. BellaireConnect.com is a website that serves as a hub for the Bellaire community and its surrounding neighborhoods. Bellaire•West University Essentials is an informative magazine that is delivered to every home in the city on a monthly basis.

Bellaire is a participating city in the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) network. The city’s transportation needs are met by several bus lines, including the 2 (Bellaire), 9 (Gulfton/Holman), 20 (Canal/Memorial), 49 (Chimney Rock/S Post Oak), 65 (Bissonnet), 309 (Gulfton Circulator), and 402 Bellaire Quickline. The Bellaire Transit Center, located at the intersection of Bellaire Boulevard and South Rice Avenue, serves as a hub for six of these lines. Additionally, METRO has proposed the construction of the Bellaire Station as part of the METRORail University Line, further enhancing the city’s public transportation options.

Prominent individuals include Jon Bass, Ezra Charles, Bubba Crosby, José Cruz Jr., a well-established outfielder and coach in Major League Baseball, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Brent Spiner, Emeka Okafor, a former collegiate and professional basketball player, Richard Linklater, Josh Wolf, a baseball player associated with the Cleveland Indians and Team Israel, and Jaylen Waddle.