West University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city was 14,787. It is nicknamed "The Neighborhood City" and is mainly a bedroom community for upper-class families.West University Place is surrounded by the cities of Bellaire, Houston, and Southside Place. The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" as the city designation for all West University Place addresses, although the actual name of "West University Place" is also acceptable., West University Place has the fifth highest fraction of households with incomes $150,000 or greater.Almost all street names in West University Place are allusions to universities, colleges, and poets.HistoryThe city was developed in 1917 by Ben Hooper, a former Tennessee governor. The name "West University Place" originated from its proximity to Rice Institute, now known as Rice University. The first lots in the community were sold in 1917. Portions of West University were previously within the Harris County Poor farm, which extended from an area between Bellaire Boulevard and Bissonnet Street, eastward to an area near the "poor farm ditch."
