Where to Live in the Greater Houston Area: A Local Expert's Guide to Suburbs Around H-Town

If you work in the heart of Houston and enjoy living close to multiple restaurants, bars, museums, and other entertainment opportunities, then the bustling, busy city is the place to be. However, the small cities surrounding Houston are perfect if you want plenty of amenities along with peace, quiet, and fewer traffic jams. I've lived in a small city outside Houston since mid-2020 and would highly recommend our area to anyone looking for a good place to work, study, and raise a family. My name is Lori, and as your apartmenthomeliving.com local expert for Houston, I'd like to tell you about some charming small cities that are well worth your consideration.

Current Average Rental Pricing for Apartments in the Houston Metro Area

Current Average Pricing for Homes for Rent in the Houston Area

Humble

Humble is a planned community about 19 miles from downtown Houston. It'll probably still take at least an hour to get to town during rush hours, but the good news is that everything you need is pretty much right at your fingertips. Deerbrook Mall has over one hundred stores offering just about every product imaginable. Local restaurants offer just about every cuisine imaginable. If you enjoy reading, Half-Price Books lets you not only buy cheap books but also sell your old ones back to the store for cash or credit. If spending time outdoors is your thing, Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center and Mercer Botanical Gardens are the places to be. If you have kids, you'll be pleased to know that the Humble ISD just renovated all the school playgrounds in the district - and anyone is welcome to enjoy them after school hours. Plus, Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center offers free activities ranging from bi-monthly nature classes for kids to free summer camps.

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport is right in town, so don't be surprised to hear planes flying low overhead all the time. However, unless you're going to and from the airport, there aren't widespread traffic jams. There's also not much roadwork, which is downright amazing when you see just how much roadwork goes on in and around Houston and outlying cities. Humble apartments aren't the cheapest around, but the location and all it offers make it well worth the cost.

Kingwood

Kingwood is northeast of Humble. If you live here, expect a fairly long commute into Houston; it's about 28 miles from downtown, but it will feel like a lot longer if you travel during busy times of the day or if there happens to be an accident on the I-69. Unfortunately, you can also expect lots of traffic jams on Kingwood Drive and Northpark Drive. In spite of all that, we visit here regularly, and I would highly recommend this neighborhood for many reasons.

Kingwood is a charming planned community. Several large roads run through town, making it easy to get around, but take a turn off any main road, and you'll find charming homes and apartments in calm, residential areas. There are also many parks and a network of walking trails that make it easy for you to walk or bike from home to nearby parks, stores, and schools, which is a huge plus, as the cities outside of Houston don't have many public transportation options.

Restaurants and grocery stores abound on any main road. You can find just about anything you need or want in Kingwood or the nearby town of Atascocita. Kingwood's Town Park has a Farmer's Market every Thursday where you can find farm-fresh food, pickles, and some amazing handmade crafts. Event organizers also use the park to host cool events ranging from PickleFest in the late summer to the annual Christmas in the Park Festival in early December. Plus, the local library always has fun, free programs for kids and adults alike. Want to learn how to cook? Kingwood Branch Library has programs for it. Do you kids want to try out some fun STEM activities? They're free here too. Enjoy crafting? The Creativity Shell Thrift Shop lets you fill a bag with craft supplies for $10.

Unlike many other small cities outside of Houston, Kingwood is ideal for students. Lone Star College, the largest community college in Texas, has a campus here that offers hundreds of associate degree options. Furthermore, it partners with leading universities in the state to make it easy for students to transfer credits without having to retake courses.

Summerwood

Summerwood is a small city on Houston's northeast edge, about 21 miles from Downtown Houston. The North Sam Houston Parkway, which runs on the western edge of town, offers easy access to grocery stores and restaurants, as does West Lake Houston Parkway Road, but you won't find lots of amenities right in town. It's mostly residential, with parks, schools, and plenty of houses and greenery. If you're looking for a safe, calm place to live that's not too far from Houston or other cities right outside of Houston, Summerwood is ideal in many ways. Plus, rents are cheaper here than in more heavily populated suburbs north of Houston.

The local schools and high school get high marks, making it a great place to raise a family. It's also an ideal place to enjoy the great outdoors. Lake Houston, which is on Summerwood's eastern side, is perfect for fishing and boating. Our family greatly enjoyed visiting Alexander Deussen Park on the city's edge, and the Sheldon Lake State Park just south of Summerwood is a must-see place if you enjoy local wildlife. Be sure to check out the John Jacob Observation Tower in the park while you're there; it's over 80 feet high and offers an unparalleled view of the skyline.

Baytown

Galveston is the place to be if you enjoy the beach. Unfortunately, it's also about 50 miles from downtown Houston, making it an unrealistic option for anyone who needs to commute to and from work or school. Baytown, on the other hand, is just about 25 miles out from Houston, and it's not far from other charming small cities such as Mont Belvieu and La Porte. It has a small-town feel and ambiance, but it's a lot bigger (and more populated) than it looks at first glance. Furthermore, the city offers plenty of things to see and do. All types of restaurants dot the town, there's an amusement park, a movie theater, and multiple small shopping centers where you find just about anything you need. Many of the city's residents work at factories and petrochemical plants in large industrial parks in town; however, since these commercial districts are technically outside city limits (albeit under Baytown's extra-territorial jurisdiction), you won't feel like you're driving through a bustling industrial area as you travel around town.

My favorite spot in town is the Baytown Nature Center. The area is a wildlife refuge with multiple kinds of birds and other animals. There are trails for jogging, walking, and biking; parks where the kids can play, picnic spots if you want to stop for a bite to eat (bring your own - there are no stores or even vending machines around), and a great view of the bay. A short drive south and you'll come to Sylvan Beach; it's safe, family-friendly, and has great spots for fishing. If you're into science fiction, fantasy, and cosplay, be sure to head to Mont Belvieu, which is just a bit north of Baytown, in mid-November to check out the huge Nerd Con convention. Entry to this one-day event is free, and you'll find artists, cosplayers, and unique vendors selling products ranging from collectibles to handmade toys. While Baytown doesn't have the nightlife hotspots you'll find in Houston and its larger surrounding cities, there's always something fun to do and see in Baytown and the surrounding towns.

The Woodlands

The Woodlands, unlike the other cities listed earlier, has a population of well over 100,000. Think of it as a "mini-Houston" in terms of amenities. The Woodlands Mall is the place to go for nationally-known fashion brands such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Aeropostale, James Avery, and Nordstrom. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion offers cultural events, music, and performances. The city's local art council keeps things hopping with regular exhibitions and events. There are luxurious spas and wellness centers where you can pamper yourself at leisure. If a vibrant nightlife is your thing, there is a range of clubs and bars for all tastes. There's even a mini "Medical City" there with several well-known hospitals offering cutting-edge medical care and specialized treatments. It's not as big as Houston's Medical Center, which is in fact the world's largest, but it's far easier to get to, and the parking is free. In fact, just about anything you need and want is out here, sparing you the hassle of having to drive through Houston's notoriously bad traffic, lousy roads, and continuous road improvement and construction projects.

Major educational institutions such as Lone Star College and Sam Houston State University have campuses here. If you're a student who wants to enjoy life while studying and not have to deal with living in a loud, crowded city, The Woodlands is sure to please. But it's not just young people who benefit from living in this "small" city 30 miles north of Houston. Families love the Woodlands for its charming, planned neighborhoods, safe ambiance, multiple parks, and top-tier public school system. There are actually several independent school districts covering the Woodlands, but they're all known for offering a stellar academic education and great extracurricular activities.

Another plus of living in the Woodlands is that there are plenty of small towns nearby if you want to get out and explore the area. Spring is a short drive south and is home to some amazing parks and a historical shopping district that's well worth multiple visits. My kids loved Burroughs Park with its many playgrounds, walking trails, and large duck pond. Head north a bit, and you'll come to Conroe, where you can enjoy activities such as kayaking, watching live performances, and visiting local breweries. Tomball to the west is a charming small town with plenty of parks, and its annual HummingbirdFest at Kleb Woods Nature Preserve and Center is a uniquely charming event that's worth the trip.

Whether you view The Woodlands as an expensive place to live depends on your point of view. It's definitely pricier than Houston and many of the other small cities around. However, I recently talked to someone who moved there from a small city outside Dallas and was surprised to find that she considered it significantly cheaper than her previous location.

Finding that Perfect Place

Choosing which small city or suburb you want to live in outside of Houston isn't an easy task. There are so many spots to pick from, each with its own unique charm, advantages, and disadvantages. But I would like to make a few recommendations. First, there are a lot of people here, and the traffic isn't something to take lightly. Try to get a place as close to work or your college/university as you can, even if you have to pay a little more than you'd initially like. Second, don't worry about picking a small city with fewer amenities than you'd like. Houston is growing outward in just about every direction (especially north); the odds are that your favorite type of store or restaurant will show up in or around your neighborhood at some point in the future. Finally, be sure to check out surrounding towns and cities as you're able. A lot of them actually blend together; when you're driving, you probably won't even notice when one ends and the other begins. This area has a lot to offer, and you're sure to make some wonderful memories here.