Your Houston Neighborhood Guide: Find the Perfect Home Near Your Job

To say Houston is a bustling metropolitan area seems like an understatement. Everyone you turn, something is being built, be it gas stations, stores, office buildings, medical facilities, housing, or apartment complexes. The city is constantly either building new roads or expanding existing ones, leaving Houstonians frustrated as they attempt to navigate to and from work and school.

Current Pricing for Apartments in Houston, TX

Getting a job here is a great idea as the local economy is booming and will likely continue doing so for the foreseeable future, but you'll likely want to find a neighborhood as close as possible to your new job to avoid long commutes and pesky traffic jams. I'm Lori, your ApartmentHomeLiving.com Local Expert for Houston, Texas, with some insight into the best Houston neighborhoods near some of the city's largest employers.

Texas Medical District

The Texas Medical District isn't just large. It's huge. In fact, it's literally a "mini-city" with over sixty medical institutions packed into a 2.1 square-mile area. More than 120,000 people work for the area's medical facilities, holding a range of positions, including nursing assistants, RNs, radiographers, doctors, surgeons, remote healthcare coordinators, social workers, translators, and healthcare coordinators.

Medical Center

Parking in Texas' Medical District is both difficult and expensive. Living within walking distance from your workplace or place of study is ideal, because you don't have to worry about how to navigate parking, traffic, or Houston's multiple one-way streets. The Medical Center is a pedestrian-friendly, charming area with plenty of great spots to eat, shop, or grab a drink. Hermann Park, which is just around the corner, is a huge green area with everything from a kiddie train to a golf course. Our family loved visiting there and spending time at the Houston Zoo, which is also inside the park grounds.

Medical Center South

If you don't really want to live in the heart of downtown but want easy access to the Medical District, Medical Center South is likely your best bet. It's also perfect for anyone who works at MD Anderson's medical facilities on Old Spanish Road. There is lots of construction going on (it's commonplace in most of Houston) but there are also some great restaurants (I recommend the Pho5 Plus on Kirby Drive and the Wing Stop on Main Street). HEB, Kroger, and Target are all easily accessible and the 610, which loops around Houston, makes it easy to explore all that Texas' largest city has to offer.

Memorial Park

If you love spending time outdoors, you're sure to love Memorial Park. It's a huge expanse with a lake, biking trails, walking trails, an arboretum, bird sanctuary, and more. Memorial Park neighborhood is northwest of the Medical District, which means you could be anywhere from 5 to 15 miles from work or college/university, but the area does have easy access to multiple public transportation options if you don't have a car or would simply prefer not to drive. I-10 runs north of the neighborhood while the 610 runs on the western edge, making travel through the Houston area simple and convenient.

Chevron

Chevron, which has more than 45,000 employees in Houston, was recently rated as one of the best workplaces by U.S. News & World. The company offers competitive pay, great benefits, flexible work options, good internship opportunities, and more. What's more, the company's recent announcement that it would move its headquarters to Houston, potentially opening up multiple employment opportunities for those with the right experience and credentials.

Montrose

Montrose is a great place to live for several reasons. The neighborhood has unique vintage stores and plenty of restaurants with cuisine ranging from Mediterranean to Mexican. Art lovers are sure to enjoy the local Menil Collection, Color Factory Houston, and Houston's Museum of Fine Arts just south of the neighborhood. Public transportation isn't hard to come by, and the I-69, I-10, and 288 make it easy to travel to and from work and in and out of the Houston Metropolitan area.

Midtown

Midtown is conveniently located less than two miles from Chevron's Corporation Headquarters. It's primarily a residential neighborhood, making it ideal for those who love peace and quiet after a busy day at the office. At the same time, Midtown's convenient location, coupled with readily available public transportation, makes it easy to get around Houston and enjoy all that it has to offer.

Downtown

Sports fans are sure to enjoy Downtown Houston. It's home to Daikin Park (the Houston Astros Stadium) and is right next to Shell Energy Stadium, where the Houston Dynamo soccer team plays. Discovery Green, near the heart of the city, offers twelve acres of greenery that includes playgrounds, a pond for kayaking, exercise classes, and artistic and cultural activities. There are also plenty of great places to grab a bite to eat, but I would especially recommend the local Benihana on Louisiana Street; my oldest daughter ate there with some friends and loved the food and the chef's knife skills demonstration. The area is pedestrian-friendly, but drivers should beware, as nearly all the streets are one-way roads.

Sysco

Sysco's Corporate Office on the western side of Houston has an eye-popping 76,000 employees. Most work in the operations and sales departments, but many can be found in jobs related to information technology, marketing, finance, human relations, and engineering/technical work. The job outlook for many of these fields is positive; for instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job opportunities in business, financial and information technology occupations will grow faster than average up until 2033.

Alief

Alief is primarily a residential area that is best known for its ethnic diversity. It's affordable, and the traffic isn't nearly as bad as it is in the heart of Houston, making it a great place to live if you enjoy easy commutes and a peaceful ambiance. It's also one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Houston Metropolitan area, with cultural activities such as the Lunar New Year Festival and International Parade. Getting around is easy thanks to public transportation options and the Sam Houston Tollway and I-69 on the eastern edge of the neighborhood.

Cinco Ranch

Cinco Ranch is a small, planned community. It has plenty of stores and restaurants, but doesn't offer much in the way of entertainment. It also doesn't get high marks for public transportation, so if you live out here, you'll need to buy a car. Even so, it's a charming, family-friendly area with great schools, and the crime rate is far lower than the Texas average.

Woodcreek Reserve

Woodcreek Reserve is about half an hour west of Sysco's Corporate Office. It's still part of Houston's Metropolitan area, but don't expect it to have Houston's vibe and ambiance. It's a small, quiet neighborhood with a gym and a few grocery stores nearby, but two huge advantages of living in this area are that it's affordable and, unlike much of Houston, isn't prone to flooding. While this may not mean much if you're coming from a state that doesn't flood, Houstonians who have lived through way too many "one in a thousand year" storm events in the last decade can tell you that not having to worry about water surging through your neighborhood with little or no warning can give you amazing peace of mind.

Houston ISD

Houston's Independent School District serves close to 180,000 students at nearly 300 campuses. It's the largest school district in Texas, encompassing most of the area encircled by the Sam Houston Tollway. Houston ISD has about 27,000 employees, but that number has the potential to grow; nearly 200,000 new residents moved into the Houston Metro area between July 2023 and July 2024, and the school district is already looking for more administrative assistants, coordinators, special education paraprofessionals, and other professionals.

Independence Heights

Independence Heights is a historically black neighborhood with a fascinating history. It's dotted with old-fashioned houses, and its Residential Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Independence Heights combines a unique sense of charm with modern amenities to give neighborhood residents both convenience and culture. The Houston ISD district office is just five miles to the west, and Houston's downtown districts, with their multiple entertainment and cultural activities, are easily accessible via public transport and the I-10/I-45 highways. Real estate prices are on the rise, but it's still possible to find apartments for rent at a reasonable price.

Near Northside

Near Northside, like Independence Heights, isn't too far from downtown Houston. Accessibility is a big plus for anyone moving into this neighborhood; there are plenty of public transportation options, and four of Houston's main highways run alongside the neighborhood's northern, southern, western, and eastern borders. Independence Heights is a historically Hispanic neighborhood and is home to great Mexican eateries such as Yolo, La Playita Bar, and Houston Bakery and Cafe. I've visited Moody Park and Moody Community Center, on the western edge of the neighborhood, and it's a huge area with plenty of sports and exercise activities for kids and adults of all ages.

Greater Greenspoint

Greater Greenspoint is just outside Houston ISD's northern edge. It's not too close to the downtown area and public transportation isn't as readily available as it is near the heart of Houston, but there are plenty of great amenities that we've come to love over the years. Mercer Botanical Gardens and Mercer Arboretum are just ten miles up the road; they not only feature some amazing plants but also host great activities for kids and adults alike. Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center is only 20 minutes away, and it offers free exercise classes, hiking/biking trails, hikes, summer camps, and kids classes and activities all year long. Our oldest loves the monthly bird hike, while our youngest has great memories of taking part in bi-monthly Tadpole Club classes and activities. Deerbrook Mall is close by and has more than 130 shops, ranging from department stores to pet shops. George Bush International Airport is very close by, which is a huge plus if you enjoy traveling. What's more, apartment prices in this part of Houston are typically lower than they would be in neighborhoods close to the downtown area.

Houston is an amazing place, so it's not surprising that so many people have moved into the area in recent years. The economy is doing well, job opportunities are plentiful, and there are great schools and universities. Entertainment opportunities and cultural activities abound; no matter what you enjoy doing or seeing, you're sure to find it in this sprawling metropolitan area. If you're considering moving into town, I recommend visiting multiple neighborhoods to see which one is the best fit for you. While there are plenty of options to consider, no one neighborhood is better than all others in all aspects. Each area of town has its pros and cons, so think about what's most important to you in order to pinpoint the spot that works best for your personal situation.