Houston’s Most Desirable Neighborhoods

The greater Houston area is huge, and with all the annexations, the sprawl is overwhelming. The whole city is a whopping 627 square miles, for crying out loud! However, that includes a large portion of the city that an urban professional just doesn’t care about. What you care about is inside the loop, which is the 610 loop (Not the Beltway 8). From the outer edge of the loop to downtown is probably 3-5 miles, at most, and under a 30 minute drive, even from the farthest points. However, not all of the inner loop is appealing. This blog highlights Houston’s most desirable neighborhoods

Downtown is the heart of the city and the original “Houston”. When the Allen Brothers founded Houston, it was just this little bitty square mile near Allen’s Landing. Downtown has had multiple reputations over the years as it has changed and developed. Previously downtown was considered a concrete jungle filled with high rise buildings people worked from by day, and fled as soon as the clock struck 5:00 PM. Downtown had a bit of a small revival in 2004 with the Superbowl spurring the opening of restaurants and clubs, and the METROrail. However, the biggest growth in downtown has happened in the past 2 years, and right now, downtown is the hottest it has ever been. For the first time in years, people are demanding to live in downtown and developers are building high rises and mid rises to meet that demand. More restaurants and bars are in the area than ever before and people can be seen wandering down Main Street hopping from craft cocktail bar to dive bar well after midnight. Houston’s Theatre District is located on the Northeast end of downtown and is home to the Houston Ballet, The Alley Theatre, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) and more! Aside from theatre, bars and restaurants, Downtown is home to nearly all of Houston’s professional sports teams:  The Houston Astros, The Houston Rockets and The Houston Dynamo. Take the original red line of the METROrail  from Downtown through midtown and the museum district to the Texas Medical Center and NRG Stadium to see The Houston Texans.

 

Midtown is just west of downtown and also a very small area. For many years, the only residential option near downtown was in Midtown; so, there are several options that were developed in the 90s. The region is most popular with individuals that work downtown and want a large selection of dining and nightlife options in a dense walkable area.  There are many bars and clubs in midtown, all within walking distance of home for residents of the area. Most nights, at least Thursday through Sunday, this neighborhood is busy all the way til 2:00 AM.  If you like to be social every night like the party never ends, Midtown is for you! If sleep on a work night is something you value, perhaps, somewhere a little tucked away, would be better. Midtown is also going through quite a bit of growth as more and more people want to live near the METROrail – there are new developments in the Mid-Main area just West of the more bustling Midtown proper.

 

Montrose is definitely central Houston’s largest neighborhood. It’s in the middle of it all and shares boundaries with Midtown, Downtown, River Oaks, the Museum District and Memorial Heights. Montrose has re-invented itself countless times over the years, but it has always been an in-demand neighborhood. The neighborhood started out as farm land back when Houston was a baby, but over the past century, it has really grown into itself. For years, Montrose was home to  the artists, the rock stars, the creative ones, and rates were incredibly affordable. The area is appealing to more than just creative types now and $500K to $1M homes can be found on every corner. Yet, across from each of those corners is a charming duplex, Melrose-place type apartment or seedy bar to catch one of Houston’s amazing local bands. Everywhere you turn, you will find boutique shops, craft cocktail bars, award-winning restaurants, food trucks, neighborhood pubs, and  a lot of history – there is something about Montrose that appeals to everyone. This is quite possibly Houston’s MOST desirable neighborhood.

 

The Museum District is kind of hard to define with boundaries. Some say it starts over near Hermann Park and the major museums, and doesn’t ever come North of 59. Others say, that it reaches out to West Alabama and battles Montrose (we have several smaller museums North of 59) for the Menil Collection. Regardless, it’s a neat area with residential neighborhoods full of houses from the early 1900s and trees. Trees, everywhere! You can walk to bars, restaurants and culture, and still get around quick and easy. Museums include: the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Holocaust Museum Houston , the Children’s Museum of Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and others! However,  quite possibly the best thing about the Museum District is Hermann Park – this park has a public golf course, the Houston Zoo, an outdoor amphitheater, a reflection pool and a Japanese garden. Right along the red line of the METROrail and very close to the Texas Medical Center, this area is very popular with medical professionals. It is also close to Rice University and appeals to faculty, staff and students alike. With convenient access to 59 and 288, people working in downtown, or the Southwest side of Houston can easily commute. Believe it or not, you can cycle right through the golf course at Hermann Park to get from the hospitals to the residential area!

 

River Oaks and Upper Kirby are two distinct neighborhoods, but are often referred to in the same breath. This area has one of Houston’s most affluent neighborhoods with multi-million dollar homes, River Oaks, and is my favorite! The area is very walkable with tree-lined streets, and offers convenient access to 59. The bars and restaurants in this area are a little more upscale than the options in Midtown and the neighborhood tends to quiet down at a reasonable time on week nights. A popular destination in River Oaks/Upper Kirby is West Ave on Kirby Drive. This mixed-use building offers dining and shopping for those with a discerning taste; yet, there is plenty of more laid back options nearby. My favorite attribute of the area is that it is bordered by Montrose; so, residents can easily mix it up with a different bar, restaurant or crowd. Additionally, Kirby Drive is a straight shot into downtown (Kirby turns into Allen Parkway which becomes Dallas – it’s a major artery through the city that speeds getting around up) and Memorial Heights! This area is also popular with medical professionals due to the area having more to do socially than the Museum District, and Greenbriar Drive offering an easy way to get to the Texas Medical Center.

 

Memorial Heights pretty much encompasses anything along Memorial Drive inside the 610 loop. This area is Rice Military, Washington Corridor, bits of River Oaks (North of the bayou) and the small space just South of I-10.  If you like Midtown, you’ll love Washington Avenue! It is a 3 mile road with tons of bars, restaurants and general walkability. This area is very central with convenient access to all of the major freeways in Houston and an under 5 minute commute to downtown. Because this area shares boundaries with Montrose, River Oaks, Downtown and the Heights, residents can be in any of these areas in under 5 minutes. Despite the ability to easily be in any of Houston’s most popular neighborhoods and proximity to Washington Avenue, people love Buffalo Bayou and the park system in this area. Memorial Park is a popular destination for runners and also offers a public golf course, along with hike and bike trails. Eleanor Tinsley Park is home to Free Press Summer Fest, has a network of trails along the bayou and features Houston’s newest public dog park – Johnny Steele Dog Park. For those that don’t love jogging, hiking and biking, Spots Park is a hub for people who create their own workouts in the hill-y space, or join one of the many boot camps happening throughout the day.

 

The Heights (proper) is North of I-10 and is increasing in popularity. Like Montrose, this area has re-invented itself countless times! 50 years ago it was crime ridden, but over the past decade, there has been a significant amount of development and gentrification. There are kitschy shops, unique coffee spots, lots of tasty restaurants and one of Houston’s oldest music venues for catching local acts: Fitzgerald’s. The area has plenty of hiking and biking, tree-lined streets and charming historic bungalows. Most homes sell for over $400K, but they nearly all have a garage apartment in the back for lease. As a matter of fact, nearly all rentals in the Heights are bungalows or garage apartments, but there has been a recent increase in development of apartment complexes, too!

 

The Texas Medical Center is the most affordable area inside the loop. Mostly because medical students, interns and young doctors just can’t afford much. Well, that and the supply is never-ending. This area probably has over 100 apartment complexes and equally as many condominium communities. The quality ranges quite a lot as there are older developments farther from the hospitals and brand new options within walking distance to Rice Village. Speaking of Rice Village, this shopping and dining center is extremely convenient for anyone living or working in the area. There are plenty of pubs and bar options, a variety of tasty food choices, and retail staples. Most newer communities in the area offer a private shuttle to the hospitals or are on the Texas Medical Center shuttle line. Some are even on the METROrail and they’re all near a METRO bus stop. The homes in the area are mostly near Rice University on darling tree-lined streets and are a bit pricey. This isn’t surprising really considering the owners are seasoned medical professionals and tenured professors.

 

Greenway Plaza and Highland Village are two neighborhoods west of River Oaks. They’re both very close to 59 and 610, which offers convenience for anyone working outside the 610 loop in the Galleria, Energy Corridor, Sugarland or Katy. Because these areas are the farthest inner-loop options from Downtown, they are more affordable than the others. There is quite a lot of walkability with restaurants, bars and movie theaters, plus there’s a Costco! Greenway Plaza is one of Houston’s business districts and Highland Village is a preferred shopping plaza for anyone in Houston that wants to avoid the giant mall and all of its parking traffic, and you can grab groceries at Central Market! New to the area is River Oaks District: a luxury mixed-use development with restaurants and high end retail shops. iPic is a new favorite destination for Houstonians, and you can’t wait in line at the Apple Store Genius Bar without grabbing a cupcake from Sprinkles next door.

These are the most popular Houston neighborhoods, but there are many others, a few are up and coming, and others are very established. Ultimately, your needs determine where you live; some people may prefer to be smack in the middle of it all, and others may find one of the outlying suburbs suits them best. Contact me to talk more about all the Houston neighborhoods, and we’ll find the best one for you!