The Heights Neighborhood Guide

Found northwest of Downtown Houston is The Heights, a historic neighborhood home to a diverse cast of residents, characteristic venues, and a distinct atmosphere.

The Heights, also referred to as Houston Heights, is a part of the larger Greater Heights neighborhood. This area of Houston is home to around 17,000 residents. The Heights is one of the first planned communities of Texas, and so the neighborhood is picturesque and easy to navigate.

The atmosphere is generally described as progressive and urban, and The Heights tends to attract architecture fans, artistic personalities, and anyone looking to enjoy a great bite to eat at local restaurants. Politically, many residents lean liberal.

In terms of housing options, the neighborhood offers a 60/40 split of rentals and owner-occupied properties, and the cost of living is high relative to Texas averages. The Heights is particularly popular among young professionals, and the neighborhood is similarly popular among young families.

With a population of around 17,000, there is almost an even split between male and female residents.

An estimated 67.3% of residents are White, and 22.3% are Hispanic or Latino. 2.8% of residents are Black, and 3.4% of residents are of Asian descent. Meanwhile, 3.5% of residents are biracial or multiracial.

The median resident age is 35 years, and an estimated 38% of households are young families. Roughly 15% of the neighborhood’s population is comprised of foreign born residents.

The median household income of The Heights tracks around $95K, which is favorable compared to Houston’s median household income of about $48K.

The Heights is within the borders of the Houston Independent School District, which is the largest independent school system in Texas and one of the largest in the country.

Houston ISD includes over 280 campuses. The school system educates around 215,000 students, and an estimated 42,000 teachers and staff members are employed by Houston ISD. Campuses have an average student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1.

Houston ISD schools normally offer gifted and talented programming and AP courses. The district is largely known for having diverse student populations, great athletic extracurricular activities, and quality college preparatory programs.

Local students are commonly directed to attend Harvard Elementary, Field Elementary, Love Elementary, and Sinclair Elementary. Younger residents of The Heights are directed to attend Hamilton Middle School and Hogg Middle School. Students in 9-12 grade commonly attend Waltrip High School.

There are also 2 state charter schools within the neighborhood, which are Houston Heights Learning Academy and Houston Heights High School.

Around 40% of housing options in The Heights are rentals, and about 60% of properties are owner-occupied. The Heights has a vacancy rate of around 8%, which is lower than almost 55% of other neighborhoods in the country.

Residential options in this area of Houston are primarily small single family homes and detached properties with 3-4 bedroom layouts. Small apartments with 1-2 bedrooms make up another popular residential type in The Heights. Condominiums and attached properties available for rent or to buy can be few and far between in this area.

Many properties in the neighborhood were built no later than 1940. Specifically, 58.8% of housing options were built before 1939, and this number tracks higher than that of 95% of other neighborhoods in the U.S. Another considerable amount of housing options in The Heights broke ground between 1970-1999.

New properties are also available in The Heights, though these residences tend to be more expensive than their counterparts.