Downtown Neighborhood Guide
Researching Downtown neighborhood in Houston Texas? Here is a complete guide with the most up to date information about Downtown neighborhood!
Overview
ABOUT Downtown
Houston’s lively Downtown neighborhood is famous for its top-rated dining options, its amazing shops and its exciting entertainment districts. It’s also a bustling business center that’s perfect for working professionals who don’t want to travel far in their daily commute.
The neighborhood is home to many high-earning business professionals who enjoy living close to the city’s best attractions, including the Theater District and many shopping areas.
There are a number of different styles and sizes of homes available for rent and purchase. Single-family homes are more rare and tend to be much more expensive than the luxury condo and apartment options. The apartment complexes often come with a number of desirable amenities, including fitness centers, pools and rooftop decks.
In addition to its exciting entertainment options, the neighborhood is also close to beautiful parks and top-rated schools. Downtown Houston’s convenient location makes it the perfect place for families who want to experience life in the heart of the city.
The culture of Downtown Houston is lively, vibrant and affluent. Residents love to take advantage of everything the neighborhood has to offer, including the many bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Most residents are high-earning professionals, and the average household income is about $103,000. The average age is about 42 and less than 4% of the population is unemployed. About 62% of the population are male and 38% are female.
Most residents also work within the neighborhood, paying higher prices for accommodation in exchange for its convenient and central location. The average home value is about $255,000, which is higher than the Houston average of about $173,000.
TOP Downtown HIGHLIGHTS
Natural Disasters
Downtown Houston is located in a region that is highly vulnerable to intense rainfall events, flooding, severe tropical storms, and hurricanes.
In the past, tropical storms and hurricanes dumped as much as 30 inches of rain in parts of the bustling neighborhood. Interstate highways around the area were submerged under water, and waist-high waters flooded streets, swept away cars, and felled trees.
The parts of the neighborhood that are most susceptible to waters that can reach as high as a dozen feet or more are those located near Buffalo Bayou.
The neighborhood had also experienced widespread power outages following intense rainfall events.
Commute
Downtown Houston is surrounded by the city’s main interstates and freeways, so residents can easily hop in their car and be where they need to be in no time.
The Gulf Freeway surrounds Downtown Houston to the south and west, Interstate 69 is to the east and East Freeway is to the north. These three main roads will take residents to Houston’s many neighborhoods as well as to nearby cities and the countryside.
Although many people work in Downtown Houston, it’s not uncommon to have to travel for work. Luckily, the neighborhood is about 30 minutes from the West Houston Airport and 25 minutes from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Crime Rate
Downtown is among the neighborhoods in Houston with crime rates that are significantly higher than both the state and national averages.
Overall, the crime rate in the area is about 3,317 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 39% higher than the national average. Downtown is safer than about 23% of communities in Texas.
Violent crime rate in the neighborhood is about 676 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 78% higher than the national average.
Property crime happens more frequently in the area at a rate of about 2,641 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 20% higher than the national average.
One’s chances of being a victim of crime in Downtown is about 1 in 31.
Education
SCHOOLS IN Downtown
Although Down Houston is home to the University of Houston-Downtown, there aren’t many K-12 school options within the neighborhood. However, there are a number of excellent schools within a few minutes drive of the neighborhood.
Parents can choose between many private and public options that offer both secular and faith-based education. Downtown Houston and its surrounding areas belong to the top-rated Houston Independent School District.
The highly esteemed school district has a number of schools that offer both traditional curricula and more specialized programs. For example, residents can easily find local public schools that focus primarily on the performing arts or foreign languages.
Each school is staffed by exceptional teaching professionals who work hard to create safe, enriching and challenging learning environments. Students are encouraged to work through rigorous academic programs while participating in a number of team sports and extracurricular activities to achieve their full potential and to discover new interests.
Schools
- ELEMENTARY
- MIDDLE
- HIGH
- PRIVATE
Real Estate
Downtown Housing 2020
Real Estate in Downtown Houston is competitive. As of May 2020, the average value of houses and condos in the area is about $255,000 — or $143 per square foot — well above the Houston average of about $173,000. Home values have risen considerably in the last 10 years, and the neighborhood’s central location combined with its booming industry ensure prices will continue to rise.
Single family homes are in limited supply, but they are available in Downtown Houston and in nearby neighborhoods. They are typically $1.2 to over $1.8 million and have about two to four bedrooms and three to four bathrooms.
Condos are another popular option and there are many one to three-bedroom properties to choose from. Rental property is also on the more expensive side within the borders of Downtown Houston. As of Spring 2020, apartments cost about $1,200 a month for one-bedroom properties and over $3,000 for two to three-bedrooms.
Downtown Homes for Sale
There are a huge variety of housing options in Downtown Houston, both for people looking to rent and those who want to become homeowners. Residents can find high value single-family homes, luxury apartments and condos that fit many different budgets.
Single-family homes are much more expensive in Downtown Houston than in the rest of the city. There are two to three-bedroom homes available that cost about one million dollars and up. Apartments and condos are much more common in the neighborhood, and typically have one to three bedrooms.
As of May 2020, condos can cost anywhere from $190,000 to over $1.2 million, depending on the size and location. There are also a number of apartment complexes that offer luxury apartments with excellent amenities. Some of the most popular apartment complexes in central Downtown Houston include Market Square Tower Apartments, Aris Market Square Apartments and The Rice Apartments.
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