If you want to enjoy suburban life and still have access to Houston’s perks, check out our list of the best Houston suburbs. We ranked them based on commute, schools and amenities. Whether you’re looking for top-notch education, scenic lakes or short drives to the city, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best suburbs of Houston.
Best Suburbs of Houston
1. Sugar Land
2. The Woodlands
3. Pearland
4. Friendswood
5. Cypress
6. Katy
7. Cinco Ranch
8. Kingwood
9. Conroe
10. Clear Lake
1. Sugar Land
Sugar Land is a very popular Houston suburbs and it is one of the best suburbs of Houston. It is an upscale suburb of Houston. What we love about living in Sugar Land is the short commute of 32 minutes to Houston. It is also very convenient to live in Sugar Land because it has everything in town, from shopping and dining to concerts and baseball. The schools are also a big draw because it is highly ranked. Sugar Land is a great Houston suburb for families who want to live in an upscale Houston suburb that is convenient and is in close proximity to Houston.
2. The Woodlands
The Woodlands is a top suburb of Houston with a lake lifestyle. It is 30 miles north of Houston and is a stunning master planned community with many amenities. Residents can enjoy Lake Woodlands and The Woodlands Waterway for water activities, events and transportation. The Woodlands also has excellent schools, ranked #2 in the Houston area by Niche.com. It has trails, parks, pools, shops and restaurants for families to enjoy. The Woodlands is a perfect suburb for those who want to be close to Houston and nature.
3. Pearland
Pearland is a close and convenient suburb of Houston with a 25-minute drive to downtown and a 23-minute drive to Texas Medical Center. It is also near the beaches of Galveston, which are only 45 minutes away. Pearland has a lively town center with shops, restaurants and events. It also has many parks, including Independence Park, which has an ampitheater, a playground, a basketball court and a fishing pond. Pearland is a perfect suburb for those who want to be near Houston.
4. Friendswood
Friendswood is one of the best suburbs of Houston to live in because of its short commute to downtown. It is a 33-minute commute to downtown and a 45-minute drive to Galveston. It has highly ranked schools in a small school district with one high school. It has many parks, including Stevenson Park, which has a pool, splash pad, sports courts and a fishing pond. It has an affordable median home price of $381,685, but older housing stock. It has a nearby mall, Baybrook Mall, with many shops, restaurants and entertainment options. Friendswood is a great suburb for those who want convenience and good value.
5. Cypress
Cypress is a large and convenient suburb of Houston with a 28-minute drive to downtown. It has excellent schools, ranked #6 in the Houston area by Niche.com. It has a median sale price of $366,000. You can get waterfront homes with private docks in Cypress. It has a master planned community, Towne Lake, with a private lake of over 300 acres. Residents can enjoy the lake, the marina, the waterpark, and the boardwalk with shops and restaurants. Cypress is a perfect suburb for those who want to live the lake life.
6. Katy
Katy is a top suburb of Houston with a 44-minute commute to downtown and easy access to major highways. It has the best schools in the Houston area, ranked #1 by Niche.com. It has a median home sale price of $369,015 and eight master-planned neighborhoods with parks, pools, and fitness centers. One of them, Sunterra, has a lagoon with a beach and a lazy river. Katy has a shopping center, LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, with shops and restaurants. It also has an indoor mall, Katy Mills Mall, and a water park, Typhoon Texas, for hot days. Katy is a perfect suburb for families who want to live in master planned communities with great schools.
7. Cinco Ranch
Cinco Ranch is a top suburb of Houston with a 39-minute commute to downtown and easy access to major highways. It is part of Katy, but big enough to be a separate suburb. It has the best schools in the Houston area, ranked #1 by Niche.com, and a well-designed community where kids can walk or bike to school. It has many amenities, such as trails, parks, ponds, pools, and a golf course. It has a median sale price of $541,519, which is higher than most Houston suburbs. It has a shopping mall, LaCenterra, with shops, restaurants, and cafes.
8. Kingwood
Kingwood is one of the best suburbs of Houston near Lake Houston, which is 28 miles north of downtown. It offers lake life with boating, kayaking, jet-skiing, and fishing on the 12,000-acre lake. It is also a “Livable Forest” with 75 miles of nature trails for jogging, biking, or walking. Kingwood has a master planned community with shopping centers, including one on the lake. It has a country club with five golf courses, a water park, a Kids Club, and social events. Kingwood is a perfect suburb for those who want lake life, country club life, and convenience to Houston.
9. Conroe
Conroe is a top suburb of Houston near Lake Conroe, which is 40 miles north of downtown. It is affordable, with a median sale price of $317,579. It offers lake life with boating, water skiing, jet skiing, fishing, and dockside dining. It also has a park with a beach, a swimming area, and playgrounds. It has excellent schools, ranked #7 in the Houston area by Niche.com. Conroe is a perfect suburb for those who want to be near Houston and enjoy the lake.
10. Clear Lake
Clear Lake is a top suburb of Houston near Lake Houston, which is 22 miles south of downtown. It has a median home price of $434,693 and a variety of homes, from waterfront to starter. It offers lake life with boating, fishing, kayaking, and sailing. It has a waterfront entertainment center, Kemah Boardwalk, with rides, restaurants, shops, and a hotel. It has many parks, including Clear Lake Park, which has a boat launch, fishing pier, playground, splash pad, trail, fields, center, and pavilion. It has excellent schools, ranked #5 in the Houston area by Niche.com. It is conveniently near the Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston- the perfect Houston suburb to live in for aerospace workers. It is also near the Gulf beaches of Galveston, which are 48 minutes away. Clear Lake is a perfect suburb for families who want the lake life.