Channelview is a census-designated place in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 38,289 at the 2010 census. The Handbook of Texas describes Channelview as "an oil refinery suburb of metropolitan Houston."Channelview, located at the point where the San Jacinto River forms the Old River, is south of Interstate 10 and the Missouri Pacific Railroad and 15 miles east of Downtown Houston.