If you’re a young professional,
Houston can be a great city to start your career. But if you’re longing for some place away from the hustle and bustle, it might be time to start considering Houston’s suburbs.
Of course, not just any suburb will do, which is why we narrowed it down to 10 of the best Houston suburbs specifically suited to a young professional’s wants and needs. We looked at each suburb in terms of unemployment rate, cost of living, income, education, occupations, and age.
1. Pasadena
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 86, compared to the Houston average of 89
- Residents age 22-29: 10.8 percent
Kicking off our list is the city of Pasadena, a conveniently located suburb just a 20 minute drive away from Houston. Young professional home buyers will find a range of housing options in Pasadena, including starter homes, ranch style houses, and condos with on site amenities like pools and tennis courts.
Grab a craft beer after work at The Republic House, or get back to nature after a long week at the office at the Armand Bayou Nature Center. When you need a little pick me up in the morning, Sycamore Grounds Coffee House will do the trick.
2. Meadows Place
Key Stats:
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $66,991
- Residents with professional occupations: 50.7 percent
The small community of Meadows Place provides a quiet suburban oasis after a long day of work. Large single family homes with sizable backyards are common in Meadows Place.
Active young professionals can stay fit at the Meadows Place Swimming Pool, or with walks through Mark McGrath Municipal Park. A nearby Sam’s Club is a standby for Meadows Place residents’ grocery or home goods shopping needs.
Young professionals who commute to Houston or just enjoy trips for nightlife and shopping, are just a 25-minute drive away.
3. Richmond
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 85, compared to the Houston average of 89, ranked second
- Unemployment rate: 5.3 percent
Young professionals looking for affordable starter homes will likely find one in Richmond. This Houston suburb may seem quiet, but there are still plenty of nightlife options for after work.
Grab a drink and catch live music at The Lone Star Saloon, or grab a bite and a beer during the game at Center Court Pizza & Brew. Richmond foodies also have their pick of tasty local restaurants, from Bombay Grill to Nick’s Italian Restaurant to BBQ spot, The Swinging Door.
4. Alvin
Key Stats:
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 13.9 percent
- Residents age 22-29: 8.1 percent
Located between Houston and the Gulf of Mexico, Alvin is the perfect suburb for young professionals who want the best of both worlds.
Home buyers in Alvin have their pick of affordable ranch style houses or two story family homes. Apartments around Alvin Community College are also an option for young professionals.
Grab some American comfort food and a craft beer at Gordon Street Tavern, or blow off steam after work playing pinball machines at local fast food joint Malt N Burger.
5. Rosenberg
Key Stats:
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 13.6 percent
- Cost of living: 86, compared to the Houston average of 89
The city of Rosenberg has plenty to offer young professionals. Rosenberg home buyers will find a range of options, from modern condos with on site swimming pools to new construction single family homes.
Cool retro cafe, Another Time Soda Fountain, serves up malts and all-American fare in a 1950s style diner, and Bohemian Hill Tavern is the perfect spot for young professionals to gather after work to enjoy live music and karaoke over drinks.
6. League City (tie)
Key Stats:
- Residents with professional occupations: 52.2 percent
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $64,763
Young professionals seeking waterfront views should look no further than this Houston suburb that’s tied for sixth place. League City is bordered by Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, so home buyers seeking a lakeside condo have plenty of options.
Outdoor recreation lovers will get their kicks boating and fishing on Clear Lake. League City’s Main Street is lined with local restaurants like La India Bonita and Main Street Bistro. Grab a drink after work at laid-back Molly’s Pub or the upscale Bacchus Wine Bar.
6. South Houston (tie)
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 13 percent
- Cost of living: 82, compared to the Houston average of 89
With the youngest population on our list and the lowest cost of living, South Houston is a great option for young professionals who want to live around plenty of peers. New construction starter homes are a common affordable housing option for young professional home buyers.
Grab a bite at City Cafe or The Crawfish Pot & Oyster Bar or find a unique way to stay fit at Southside Skatepark. For young professionals who need to commute or who just want a few more nightlife and entertainment options, Houston is just a 20-minute drive away.
8. Spring
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 7.9 percent
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 11 percent
For active young professionals who want a close knit community, Spring is a great place to call home. This Houston suburb has a variety of housing, from affordable single family homes to new construction developments with modern amenities.
Local events like the Texas Crawfish and Music Festival are a great way for young professionals to get to know their neighbors and enjoy food and local talent.
Spring’s craft beer enthusiasts get their fill at The Farm Drinkery, while wine drinkers gravitate toward Crescent Moon Wine Bar.
Stretch your legs after a long day at the office at the Spring Trails Preserve or Spring Creek Greenway, then stop and smell that roses at Mercer Botanic Gardens.
9. Webster
Key Stats:
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 24.4 percent
- Cost of living: 88, compared to the Houston average of 89
Webster is another great suburb for young professionals who want the best of both worlds, as it’s located right between Houston and the Gulf of Mexico. Webster has a variety of updated condos with on site amenities that appeal to young professional home buyers.
Not only does Webster have plenty of nightlife and dining options like Carlos Beer Garden, Nobi Public House, and Big Texas Dance Hall & Saloon, but it also has history.
The Challenger Seven Memorial Park and Space Center Houston are cool attractions for young professional science buffs who are interested in Webster’s place in the history of space travel.
10. Friendswood
Key Stats:
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $75,881
- Residents with professional occupations: 54.6 percent
Rounding out our list at number 10 is the Houston suburb of Friendswood. Though there are plenty of single family homes in Friendswood, young professionals may be drawn to the large selection of condos and townhomes with modern fixtures and amenities.
Shopping enthusiasts will get their kicks at Baybrook Mall, which houses a variety of big name clothing retailers.
Local wine bar, Friends Uncorked, is a sophisticated spot for young professionals to gather after work and enjoy a few drinks and live music. Friendswood foodies flock to local eateries like Barcenas for Mexican cuisine in a chic atmosphere.
Get Back To All Those Emails
Now that you have a list of the best suburbs near Houston for young professionals, you can get back to doing all those things on your to do list… like answer those emails you were avoiding while reading this post.
Don’t even worry about finding a home. We know you’re busy, so
we’ll help you find a home too.
Our Methodology
In creating this list, we researched the following important criteria for young professionals:
- Unemployment rate
- Percent of residents age 22-29
- Percent of residents who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Median earnings for those who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Percent of residents who work in management, business, financial, or other professional fields
- Cost of living
Then, because some things are just a little more important to young professionals than others, we weighted the percent of residents age 22-29 to make up 30 percent of our score. Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders and cost of living made up 20 percent. The rest of our categories made up 10 percent of the total score.
We averaged those weighted scores into one overall score, and the Houston suburbs with the 10 lowest scores were the 10 that made the cut.
Want to see how the rest of the suburbs we ranked measured up? Take a look at the table below:
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