The constituency was first formed prior to the 1988 general election and was won by the People's Action Party (PAP) in its debut.

However, PAP's representation of Hougang SMC would only last three years, when it lost the seat to the Workers' Party (WP) candidate Low Thia Khiang after an almost 12% swing during the 1991 general election.

In the 2006 general election, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was tasked to help the PAP win back the two opposition wards of Hougang SMC and Potong Pasir SMC with a $100 million plan to upgrade the constituency.

During the 2011 general election, Low Thia Kiang left to contest the nearby Aljunied GRC, Yaw Shin Leong, who retained the seat with 65% of the vote.

[5] The seat is located in the North-East Region of the country, with the closest train station being the namesake Hougang MRT station on the North East MRT line and the Cross Island MRT line (currently under construction), although the station itself is not located within the SMC but just outside it, in the adjacent Aljunied GRC – which is also represented by WP MPs.