FY2023 data · Public Plans Database

Houston Police

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, and 23-year financial history for Houston Police, sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

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By · · Texas · Police & Fire Plan · Data through FY2023

Funded Ratio: 70.4% (At Risk) Houston Police funded ratio compared to national public pension benchmark. FUNDED RATIO 70.4% At Risk Nat'l avg 75.49869791666667% 0% 60 70 80 100% Healthy > 80% · At-risk 70-80% · Critical < 60%
Houston Police funded ratio is 70.4 percent, classified as At Risk. National public-pension benchmark is 75.49869791666667 percent.
Funded ratio
70.4%
Health grade
CReported funded ratio below full funding
Market assets
$7.21B
Members
10,358

According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Houston Police is one of 197 public pension plans tracked nationwide. The plan card reports FY2023 valuation figures; the multi-year table includes FY2024 where PPD published it; this site’s database copy was last loaded in July 2026. See our methodology for the full source and update cadence.

Unfunded Liability

$3.03B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

10,358

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

11.4%

net investment return

4.0pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

7.4%

annualized, net of fees

How Houston Police Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 70.4%
National avg

A ratio of 70.4% compared against the national public-pension average of 75.5%.

Healthy Threshold

Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.

Participant Composition

Participants: 5.2K active, 5.1K retired, 0 separated Plan participant breakdown showing active workers, retirees, and separated-vested members. PARTICIPANT MIX 10.4K total members 50% 49% Active 5.2K Retired 5.1K Separated 0 Active-to-Retiree 1.02 · Transitioning
Plan participant breakdown: 5.2K active workers, 5.1K retirees, 0 separated-vested members. Sustainability rating: Transitioning.

The active-to-retiree ratio is a leading indicator of long-term plan sustainability, plans with more retirees than active contributors face mounting cash-flow pressure as benefit payments outpace incoming contributions.

Investment Policy Mix

Asset Allocation: 55% equity, 25% fixed income, 17% alternatives Houston Police investment policy mix as reported in its CAFR and actuarial valuation. ASSET ALLOCATION $7.2B market assets · CAFR / actuarial valuation 55% 25% 17% Equity 55.0% Fixed Inc. 25.0% Alternatives 17.0% Cash 3.0% Investment Stance: Growth-Tilted · Equity + Alts 72%
Houston Police asset allocation: 55% equity, 25% fixed income, 17% alternatives, 3% cash. Investment stance: Growth-Tilted.

Public pension plans report their asset allocation in their annual CAFR and actuarial valuation. Equity-heavy mixes capture market upside but introduce volatility; fixed-income tilts protect funded status during downturns at the cost of long-run return.

Historical Funded Ratio

Year Funded Ratio
2024 N/A
2023 N/A
2022 70.4%
2021 N/A
2020 65.6%
2019 N/A
2018 55.2%
2017 N/A
2016 54.0%
2015 N/A
2014 55.5%
2013 N/A
2012 56.6%
2011 N/A
2010 32.6%
2009 N/A
2008 27.2%
2007 N/A
2006 32.5%
2005 N/A

What the Data Says About Houston Police

Houston Police reports a funded ratio of 70.4% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $7.21B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $3.03B. As a Police & Fire plan operating under Texas sponsorship, it covers 10,358 members (5,198 active contributors, 5,082 retirees drawing benefits).

Houston Police shows a comfortably above-average funding position, 5 points below the 75.5% national average across tracked plans. A 5-year average investment return of 7.4% factors into the plan's overall trajectory.

For Texas taxpayers and plan members, the $3.03B unfunded gap is the actuarial shortfall this plan must close over time.

Where this data comes from + how funding gaps get resolved

These figures come from the Public Plans Database, a collaboration between the Boston College Center for Retirement Research and NASRA that compiles them from each plan's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs) and actuarial valuations. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether an unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year, and the gap itself is typically closed through some combination of higher contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. See our methodology for how public-pension funding differs from ERISA-backed private plans, and our disclaimer below before acting on this data.

Membership

5,198
Active Members
5,082
Retirees
10,358
Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type
Police & Fire
State
Texas
Market Assets
$7.21B
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA

Plans With a Similar Funded Ratio

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Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston Police fully funded?

Houston Police has a funded ratio of 70.4% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of C. A funded ratio compares actuarial assets with actuarial accrued liabilities at a reporting date. A value of 100% means those two reported values are equal; it does not forecast benefits, taxes, or investment performance.

What happens if Houston Police runs out of money?

Houston Police is a public plan in Texas. PlainPension reports the source data and does not determine a plan's legal protections, contribution policy, or future benefit decisions.

What does a funded ratio of 70.4% mean?

A funded ratio of 70.4% means that Houston Police currently has assets equal to 70.4% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability, the gap between assets and liabilities, stands at $3.03B. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Houston Police compare to other public pensions?

Houston Police is a Police & Fire plan in Texas serving 10,358 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 75.5%. Houston Police's funded ratio of 70.4% places it near the national average.

How many members does Houston Police have?

Houston Police covers 10,358 total members, including 5,198 active employees and 5,082 retirees currently receiving benefits. The ratio of active members to retirees is a key indicator of plan sustainability, when the number of retirees grows relative to active contributors, funding pressure increases.

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Data sourced from official Public Plans Database and actuarial valuations from federal and state pension systems. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPension

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Public Plans Database (PPD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sources used on this page
  • Public Plans Database (PPD) - funded ratios, assets, liabilities, and member counts for US state and local public pension plans, maintained by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research with MissionSquare Research Institute and NASRA. publicplansdata.org
  • NASRA - National Association of State Retirement Administrators public-pension actuarial and policy references. nasra.org

Every figure on PlainPension is rendered directly from the Public Plans Database (Boston College Center for Retirement Research), no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this plan's funded ratio, unfunded liability, and multi-year financial history, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.