Location is Midtown's chief asset. Situated directly between Downtown and the Texas Medical Center, Midtown Houston is a logical choice for a residential area to serve the two largest employment centers in the region with more than 200,000 jobs. There are also five colleges and universities nearby with combined enrollments of over 50,000, making Midtown a good location for faculty, staff, and student housing for these institutions.

Midtown's boundaries can be roughly defined as the properties south of I-45 (Pierce Elevated), west of SH 288, north of US 59 and east of Bagby Street. The northwest segment of this area is less easily defined and may incorporate property west of Bagby. Being geographically surrounded by freeways not only gives it easily identifiable borders but also makes Midtown readily accessible from any part of Houston.

The revitalization of Midtown Houston has primarily involved reviving the original residential nature of the area with both new construction and the preservation/restoration of historical structures. The goal was and is to provide convenient, quality housing, vertically integrated with appropriate retail and commercial support facilities for Downtown/Central Business District and Texas Medical Center Employees, college and medical students and anyone else who wants to live in the heart of Houston.

The variety of lifestyle choices in the area range from loft-style, contemporary and traditional mid- and high-rises, townhomes, apartments, patio homes, and a sprinkling of restored historic single-family homes, although the predominant market continues to be townhomes. Many of the newer developments have been designed to accommodate and encourage pedestrian activities. Prices range from the $100,000s to the $300,000s for townhomes while single family residences are quite varied, starting in the $100,000s with a few reaching the $500,000s. Rentals in the area also cover a wide range, beginning in the $500s and peaking in the $2,000s; however the average rent rate is $1.00 per square foot per month.

The Midtown Redevelopment Authority has been active in helping Midtown Houston become a place where life space and economic space come together. Their objective has been to create a new kind of community that attracts and unites all income levels and ethnic groups and celebrates the diversity of Houstonians in an urban environment.