Rice Court Neighborhood Guide

Researching Rice Court neighborhood in Houston Texas? Here is a complete guide with the most up to date information about Rice Court neighborhood!

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Overview

ABOUT Rice Court

Rice Court is a small Houston neighborhood situated southwest of the Texas city’s center. Known for being an upscale and luxurious area, this neighborhood is also family-friendly and conveniently located.

Rice Court residents have exceedingly fast access to Houston destinations like the Houston Zoo, the Museum District, and Rice University. The neighborhood’s location also places the city within the Houston Independent School District, and students in Rice Court are zoned to established and recognizable public schools.

Notably, this part of Houston pays homage to higher educational institutions by many street names alluding to colleges, universities, and notable poets.

As expected, many Rice Court residents are highly educated, and a large portion of the population is considered highly affluent. Impressively, the concentration of annual household incomes exceeding $150K in Rice Court is one of the highest in the state.

Overall, this Houston neighborhood offers a high quality of life for residents, impressive crime and safety ratings, and a healthy job market.

Rice Court’s population is around 15,500. 9% of residents have some college education or an associate’s degree, while 35% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree. Impressively, an estimated 52% of Rice Court residents have a master’s degree or higher.

Roughly 77% of the population is White, and 11% of residents are Asian. Around 8% of residents identify as Hispanic, and 1% of residents are African American. Meanwhile, 2% of the population is biracial or multiracial.

The unemployment rate tracks around 2%, and the poverty rate is estimated to be less than 2%. The median household income is reportedly around $250K. Additionally, the median individual income tracks high at $105K.

TOP Rice Court HIGHLIGHTS

Family-friendly
Convenient location
Many museums and galleries
Impressive educational institutions
Highly educated population
Largely affluent neighborhood
Good safety statistics
Widely walkable

Natural Disasters

Rice Court is located in Houston – an area that is highly vulnerable to flood-related risks and damage from heavy rains, severe storms, and hurricanes.

Rice Court, however, fares well compared to other neighborhoods when it comes to the frequency of being hit by major natural disasters. In the past, major roads near the neighborhood were flooded and trees were uprooted due to heavy rains and strong winds.

There are no records of any recurring natural disasters specific to the area and there have also been no reports of any major damage to the neighborhood following recent intense rainfall events.

Commute

The estimated mean travel time for Rice Court residents 25 years of age and over is 17.5 minutes, which is largely considered to be convenient based on trends in Texas metropolitan areas.

Interstate 69 is found a short distance north of the neighborhood. Interstate 610 can be accessed just west of Rice Court, and the interstate also curves south of the neighborhood as well. South Freeway and Interstate 45 can both be accessed a short distance east of the neighborhood.

Specifically, it takes about 20 minutes to reach Sugar Land by car from Rice Court, and Downtown Houston is a short 10 minute drive from the neighborhood.

Crime Rate

Crime and safety ratings in Rice Court are fairly high compared to other neighborhoods in Houston. It is among the communities that are served by the West University police force.

Overall, the crime rate in the area is about 640 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 79% lower than the national average. Rice Court is safer than about 92% of communities in the U.S.

Violent crime rate in the area is about 12 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 98% lower than the national average.

Property crime happens more often in the area at a rate of about 568 per 100,000 residents. This rate is about 75% lower than the national average.

One has a 1 in 150 chance of becoming a victim of crime in Rice Court.

Education

SCHOOLS IN Rice Court

Rice Court students are serviced by the Houston Independent School District. Seeing as this public school system includes over 100 schools, students are within short distance of many upstanding campuses. Additionally, there are many private educational institutions and religious schools available for Rice Court residents.

Houston ISD is commonly known for being one of the largest school districts in the country. The Texas Educational Agency rates the district as “met standards,” and many campuses within the district are National Blue Ribbon award-winning schools.

Houston ISD campuses are largely noted for having ethnically and economically diverse student populations, and many campuses report impressive student proficiency rates in math and reading. Public schools in the Rice Court area specifically have well-rated athletic programming, AP courses, multiple extracurricular options, and an emphasis on college preparation.

Many students attend religious campuses, private schools, and charter schools in the surrounding areas. Due to the neighborhood’s location, multiple campuses are less than 15 minute drives away.

Schools

ELEMENTARY
West University Elementary School: West University Elementary School is an impressive local campus that educates 1,300 students across grades pre-kindergarten-5. This campus has an average student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1, which suggests that class sizes are slightly larger than average. Additionally, state test scores show that 98% of students are proficient in math, and 99% of students are proficient in reading. Poe Elementary School: Poe Elementary School is a nearby pre-kindergarten-5 campus in Houston ISD. This campus has an average student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1, and around 880 students are enrolled across its grade levels. To give an idea of this campus’s curriculum, 86% of students score as proficient in math in reading on state standardized tests.
MIDDLE
Pershing Middle School: Pershing Middle School is a nearby 6-8 campus within Houston ISD. This school is well-rated and specifically known for having a diverse student population of around 1,700. Notably, state test scores show that 81% of students are proficient in math, and 79% are proficient in reading. The average student-teacher ratio is reportedly 19 to 1. Pin Oak Middle School: Pin Oak Middle School is a 6-8 public middle school located in Bellaire. This campus reports an average student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1, and the school includes 1,250 students. Over 90% of students are proficient in math and reading according to state tests. This school has an incredible academic record, and teachers are impressively rated by students and parents. The Rice School: The Rice School, also known as La Escuela Rice, is a public kindergarten-8 campus within Houston ISD. This campus includes around 1,150 students throughout its grade levels and reports having an average student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1. This campus is one of the most diverse in Texas, and its academic record is notably impressive.
HIGH
Lamar High School: Lamar High School is an impressively rated 9-12 campus that includes around 3,400 students. Class sizes are large, seeing as the average student-teacher ratio is 23 to 1. State tests show the majority of students are proficient in math and reading. This school has excellent college preparatory programs, a range of extracurricular activities, and an average graduation rate of 89%. Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions: Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions is one of the top 9-12 campuses in Houston. This exceedingly well-rated public magnet school educates 890 students. The student-teacher ratio averages at 16 to 1. This campus has excellent student academic achievement records, well-rated college prep programs, and an average AP enrollment rate of 55%. The average graduation rate is 95%.
PRIVATE
St. Mark’s Episcopal School: St. Mark’s Episcopal School is a well-rated private Christian campus located within short commuting distance for Rice Court students. This religious school educates around 370 students across grades pre-kindergarten-8. St. Mark’s Episcopal School reports having small class sizes, an individualized approach to engaging with students, and a rigorous academic learning environment. Xavier Educational Academy: Xavier Educational Academy is a local 4-12 private school that has an impressive overall reputation. This school educates around 150 students and reports an average student-teacher ratio of 6 to 1. This campus’s curriculum is routinely praised for being effective and engaging. The school focuses on college preparation, and a reported 93% of graduates later attend a 4-year college program. St. Vincent de Paul School: St. Vincent de Paul School is a nearby private Catholic campus that educates grades pre-kindergarten-8. Over 500 students are enrolled in this educational facility, which reports having an average student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. Reviews for this campus tend to praise the campus’s community, curriculum, and staff.

Real Estate

Rice Court Housing 2020

The estimated median property value in this corner of Houston is $1.2 million, which is high relative to both Texas and national averages. Less than 3% of properties are worth under $115K. From there, 1.7% of real estate varies between $115K-$230K. Another 2.3% of properties range between $230K-$345K, and 2.1% of properties vary between $345K-$460K.

4.4% of properties range higher between $460K-$575K. An estimated 11.7% of real estate in Rice Court vary between $575K-$863K. 20% of properties in the neighborhood are valued between $863K-$1.1 million. Meanwhile, over 55% of properties in this part of Houston are worth over $1.1 million.

With such high property values, it’s expected that home appreciation rates are also impressive. In this Houston area, real estate appreciated a total of 57.48% between January 2010 and January 2020. This number breaks down into an average annual home appreciation rate of 4.65%.

Rice Court Homes for Sale

90% of Rice Court properties are owner-occupied, while 10% of housing options are rentals. The vacancy rate tracks around 6%.

About 21% of Rice Court properties were built in or following 2000, and 46.1% were constructed between 1970-1999. Less than 18% of other housing options in Rice Court were built between 1940-1969, and just under 16% of other properties broke ground in or before 1939.

At 95%, the vast majority of housing options in this Houston neighborhood are single family detached properties. About 4.8% of other properties are condominiums and attached residences, and a considerably small amount of housing options in the area are apartment complexes and smaller apartment buildings.

To give an idea of size, 1% of the neighborhood’s properties have 1 bedroom layouts, while 11.2% have 2 bedroom layouts. 27.3% of properties have 3 bedrooms, and 45.5% have 4 bedrooms. Another 15% of Rice Court housing options have 5 or more bedrooms.

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Things to do

Rice Court is an upscale neighborhood that offers residents a wide range of activities to enjoy and venues to explore. Rice Court is located within a short distance of Downtown Houston and the Museum District, which means there are many iconic venues known throughout the state and the country within convenient commuting distance. Residents can easily visit the NRG Stadium to catch a game, snap memorable pictures at Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, pet an exhotic animal at the Houston Zoo, and enjoy many other incredible activities all while staying close to home. Additionally, Rice Court residents have a sizable array of performing arts theaters and art galleries at their disposal. Anyone looking to enjoy a night out on the town has a large selection of highly rated establishments at their disposal. Similarly, local restaurants are as diverse as they are delicious. No matter a person’s preference or tastes, there’s always something fun to do around Rice Court.
Visit the Houston Center for Contemporary Art
The Houston Center for Contemporary Art hosts a wide selection of intriguing modern works. Because the venue rotates displaying the products of many unique resident artists, there’s always a new exhibit to see at this gallery. Additionally, this well-known art exhibition space also features a beautiful garden and gift shop that has memorable items for sale.
Get some fresh air at Memorial Park
Memorial Park is a truly spacious outdoor retreat that is located about a 10 minute drive away from Rice Court. This park consists of 1,500 acres of beautifully maintained land. Visitors frequent Memorial Park to jog its nationally-acclaimed trail, and other visitors routeinly enjoy the park’s multiple sports fields. Additionally, this park also includes the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center.
Shop at the Galleria
The Galleria, Houston’s premier shopping destination, is less than 15 minutes away from Rice Court by car and makes for an ideal outing. This upscale and expansive shopping mall features a glass roof above a year-round ice-skating rink. In addition to boutiques, department stores, and recognizable chains, this shopping center also includes an expansive food court.
See what’s showing at local theaters
Houston is home to many impressive performing arts theaters. Venues near Rice Court include Main Street Theater, Hamman Hall, Miller Outdoor Theatre, and A.D. Players Performing Arts Academy. Other performance spaces include Classical Theatre Company, Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, and Heinen Theatre. With so many highly rated locations, there’s sure to be a curtain call soon.
Check out The Houston Zoo’s many attractions
The Houston Zoo houses over 6,000 animals, and visitors are welcome to watch daily feedings and interactions between zoo employees and animals from all over the world. This venue is perfect for a memorable family outing, and many attractions are fit for all ages. The zoo also has seasonal and special events, so there’s always something exciting around the corner.
Tour local eateries
There are many highly rated restaurants that are short drives away for Rice Court residents. For example, Tiny’s No. 5 serves up tasty American fare, and Punk’s Simple Southern Food is a popular spot for classic Texan dishes. Local Foods Rice Village specializes in decadent sandwiches, and Black Walnut Cafe is a casual spot for food and drinks.
Spend the day at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is a must-see venue that is located just east of Rice Court. This famous museum includes a dinosaur hall as a permanent exhibit, in addition to many other displays that span history. The Houston Museum of Natural Science includes a planetarium, a butterfly house, and an IMAX theater that shows regularly scheduled enriching programs.
Explore the local nightlife scene
Rice Court residents have no shortage of incredible bars and nightlife venues. Specifically, Simone on Sunset is a favorite wine bar that also has impressive cocktails. Meanwhile, Marquis II is a classic and casual saloon with billiards tables, and Under the Volcano has an eclectic atmosphere. Additionally, On The Kirb and Revelry on Richmond are popular sports bars.

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