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Your Complete Neighborhood Guide to Northwest Houston

Your Complete Neighborhood Guide to Northwest Houston

Houston City has one of the best neighborhoods for families who want to move to the State of Texas. Here is a guide to the Northwest Houston area, one of the neighborhoods worth checking in this city.

What is Northwest Houston? 

Northwest Houston is an area in Harris County located 15.5 miles between the Katy and Northwest freeways. 

This area consists of the neighborhoods of Addicks/Park Ten, Carverdale, Fairbanks/Northwest Crossing, Langwood, Spring Branch Central, Spring Branch North, Spring Branch East, Spring Branch West, and Westbranch.

The residential areas of Northwest Houston are a mix of suburban and urban areas, with plenty of shops nearby for your everyday needs.

Although most of Northwest Houston is studded with houses and buildings, a bulk of the region is covered by woodlands and wildlife parks perfect for nature lovers. 

What are the demographics of people living in Northwest Houston?

What are the demographics of people living in Northwest Houston

Photo from Houstonbeerfest/Wikimedia Commons

If you want to start a business in this area, here’s some information about the people living here:

There are 138,832 people residing in Northwest Houston according to data compiled by AreaVibes. Meanwhile, the population density of this area is 3,953 per sq. mi., while the median age of these people is around 36.3.

RacePercentage
White55.37%
Hispanic or Latino origin44.30%
Black30.50%
Asian1.84%
Native American0.15%
Native Hawaiian0.05%
Mixed Race1.79%
Other Race10.30%

Source: AreaVibes

As you can see, most of the Northwest Houston population is white. Despite that, people of color still take up a sizable percentage of the total population in this area.

Note that almost half of the people in this neighborhood are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The figures shown above count the place of origin and not the people of Hispanic or Latino race.

What is the median income in Northwest Houston?

In terms of income, the median income of families in Northwest Houston is around $60,000 to $100,000.

Household IncomeDistribution
$10,000 or less10%
$10,000 to $25,00021%
$25,000 to $40,00018%
$40,000 to $60,00016%
$60,000 to $100,00017%
$100,000 to $150,0009%
$150,000 to $200,0007%
$200,000 and above4%

Source: AreaVibes

Around 21% of the families in the area earn around $10,000 to $25,000, which is below the $30,000 to $90,000 minimum middle-class income based on the 2020 data from Pew Research Center & US Census Bureau.

Although, most households fall in the middle-class income bracket, earning between $40,000 to $200,000 yearly.

How much are the property and rent values in Northwest Houston?

How much are the property and rent values in Northwest Houston

Photo from FUNF VENTURE/Wikimedia Commons

Before packing your things and calling in the movers, here’s the breakdown of housing prices in Northwest Houston:

Property TypePrice Range# of Properties Currently on Sale
MinMedianMax
House$187,000$474,490$2,900,000329
Townhouse$103,000$248,950$1,000,00036
Condominium Unit$402,300$424,640$467,38015

Source: ZeroDown

According to a market analysis of real estate company ZeroDown, the current average price of homes in Northwest Houston is around $361,856. There are around 380 properties on sale and most of them are family houses.

If you can’t afford to buy a property yet, you can also rent some units around the neighborhood. On average, renting an apartment unit in Northwest Houston cost $1,336.75 on average.

Apartment TypeAverage SizeAverage Monthly Rent
Studio588 sq. ft.$1,025
1 Bedroom725 sq. ft.$1,087
2 Bedrooms1,060 sq. ft.$1,405
3 Bedrooms1,408 sq. ft.$1,830

Source: Apartments.com

The minimum price of rent is $1,025 for a studio unit, while the max amount is around $1,830 per month as per the listing of Apartments.com. This cost in 2022 is 2.9% higher than it was last year.

How safe is Northwest Houston?

How safe is Northwest Houston

Photo from Kat Wilcox/Wikimedia Commons

While the neighborhood has many wonderful scenes and sights, its crime rate is a bit higher than the average compared to Houston City.

Type of CrimeEstimated # of Crimes in Northwest Houston (per 100k people)Estimated # of Crimes in Houston City (per 100k people)
Property Crime4,3804,179
Violent Crime1,6111,256
Total5,9915,435

Source: AreaVibes

Based on the data above, there is a 1 in 17 chance of you becoming a victim of crime in Northwest Houston. Compared to the national average, its crime rate is 155% higher.

Despite its crime rate, the area is 22% safer than other cities in Texas according to AreaVibes.

Most of the crimes committed in this neighborhood are property crimes like burglary, theft, and vehicle theft. For those who plan to move in here, we suggest that you invest in a high-tech home security system to protect your belongings and your family.

What’s the weather like in Northwest Houston? 

What’s the weather like in Northwest Houston

Photo from Albarubescens/Wikimedia Commons

Like the Houston area, this neighborhood experiences hot, humid summers and cool winters. This area is also at risk of flooding due to hurricanes coming from the Gulf of Mexico.

Weather PhenomenaRisk PercentageRisk Rating
Heat78Very High
Storm56High
Drought39Moderate
Fire30Low

Source: Redfin

Based on the data collated by Redfin, Northwest Houston has a very high risk of heatwaves and a high risk of storm-related phenomena like flash floods. The area also has a risk of droughts and wildfires as a big portion of Northwest Houston is woods.

In addition, around 110 homes are at risk of flooding in the area, with the risk increasing faster than the national average due to climate change. You better keep the numbers of water damage repair companies ready just in case your home gets flooded.

What are the schools available in Northwest Houston?

What are the schools available in Northwest Houston

Photo from Eureca/Wikimedia Commons

Most of the schools in Northwest Houston are in the jurisdiction of the Independent School Districts of Cypress-Fairbanks and Spring Branch. There are also at least 135 campuses with 150,000 total students in these districts.

In terms of the number of institutions, there are 81 elementary schools, 28 middle schools, 14 high schools, and 8 special program facilities in Northwest Houston.

Here are some of the schools in this area where your children can learn and nurture their skills:

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMIDDLE SCHOOLHIGH SCHOOL
Benbrook Elementary SchoolThe Westview SchoolHouston Christian High School
Spring Shadows Elementary SchoolLandrum Middle SchoolSpring Woods High School
Hollibrook Elementary SchoolNorthbrook Middle SchoolNorthbrook High School
Sherwood Elementary SchoolCornerstone Academy

What is the state of transportation in Northwest Houston?

Most of the residents of Northwest Houston use their vehicles to travel around the area. 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMIDDLE SCHOOLHIGH SCHOOL
Benbrook Elementary SchoolThe Westview SchoolHouston Christian High School
Spring Shadows Elementary SchoolLandrum Middle SchoolSpring Woods High School
Hollibrook Elementary SchoolNorthbrook Middle SchoolNorthbrook High School
Sherwood Elementary SchoolCornerstone Academy

Source: AreaVibes

As shown above, around 90.1% of the residents use a car to get around Northwest Houston, including those who avail of carpooling services.

Even though most people use cars, there are also a handful of people using public transit or utilizing alternative transportation modes like bicycling or walking.

For those who don’t have their vehicles, there are also bus stations around Hwy. 290 where you can catch a METRO bus. Here are the locations of some of the terminals in Northwest Houston:

What’s the nightlife like in Northwest Houston?

What’s the nightlife like in Northwest Houston

Photo from Mushin/Wikimedia Commons

After a stressful day, you may want to go out with your buddies and enjoy a cold drink as a treat. Luckily, there are plenty of bars and nightclubs scattered throughout Northwest Houston.

You can check out the newly-opened Loose Cannon Bar, where patrons can enjoy a chill nautical-themed pub atmosphere and rum-based craft cocktails. Aside from hard liquor, this bar also serves cold pints of beer for classic game nights.

If outdoors is more your style, Powder Keg is an open-air bar serving fruity cocktails and cold wine glasses. Aside from that, nearby food trucks also serve scrumptious burgers and tacos.

The outdoor bar also has family-friendly activity spaces like volleyball courts and ping pong tables which you can reserve if you want to play.

For something a little more laid back and classic, Texas T Tavern is a spot where customers can watch sports and enjoy craft beer with some chili hot dogs. You can also play billiards with your pals or enjoy live music here in this bar.

Speaking of music, Yaksok Karaoke Bar is a place in Northwest Houston where you can belt out tunes while sipping shots of soju paired with ice-cold water. This place also has private rooms for karaoke for $35 per hour if you want a cozier atmosphere.

Now, if you want to sing your own songs, The Getaway Place hosts open mic sessions where you can showcase your songs. They also feature some local rappers to liven up the atmosphere during happy hours.

What are Northwest Houston’s best recreational spots?

What are Northwest Houston’s best recreational spots

Photo from Wilfredor/Wikimedia Commons

Northwest Houston is home to several parks where you can play and relax with your family. There are plenty of recreational spots you can visit if you have a free schedule.

The area of Bear Creeks Pioneers Park is built around Addicks Reservoir, a dam constructed to prevent flooding in the Buffalo Bayou area. Today, there are several walking and equestrian trails so people can explore the land. 

There are also open fields in this park for baseball, softball, soccer, and tennis. Children will also love the playgrounds and the animals housed in their zoos like emus and ostriches.

If you’re a pet owner, you’ll love roaming around the 17-acre Congressman Bill Archer Dog Park. Divided into two parts, big dogs are encouraged to run freely in the bigger 14-acre section, while little dogs can frolic on the 3-acre side.

To keep your pets in shape, the park also has agility courses and dog-shaped ponds where your pups can practice their swimming skills.  For owners, there are plenty of trees where you can cool off after a long day of playing with your pets.

Now, if you fancy something different, Jumping World has a branch in Northwest Houston where you can practice your backflip and parkour skills on trampolines.

Besides the jumping platforms, people can also enjoy the foam pits and ball sports areas where they can dunk hoops or play dodgeball.

What are some of the best restaurants in Northwest Houston?

What are some of the best restaurants in Northwest Houston

Photo from Ignis/Wikimedia Commons

There are days when you don’t know where to eat or have no energy to make yourself some tasty dishes. Luckily, Northwest Houston has plenty of restaurants that can satisfy your diverse taste.

Bori lets you cook your classic steaks over coal grills ala Korean barbecue. You can’t go wrong with their juicy A5 Japanese Wagyu and gyoza dumplings.

Aside from steak, the resto also has classic Korean dishes like kimchi buchimgae (pancakes), bibimbap (mixed rice meals), and japchae (glass noodles).

Meat lovers would also enjoy dining at Pampa Grill and Market because of their wide selection of Argentinian grilled cuts.

Their specialty is the asado de tira or marinated beef short ribs served with a choice of french fries or salad. You can also cleanse your palate with a bite of their creamy alfajores.

However, if you’re more of a poke person, Papa Yu is the place to go, especially since they mix ingredients like salmon roe and kewpie mayo to give their bowls a Japanese touch. To finish the meal off, you can order probiotic-based drinks like Grapefruit Yakult.

If you want food with a kick, the authentic gorditas and tacos are a must-try in Tacos Doña Lena. What makes their regulars return for more is their flavorful meats and 6 types of salsas you can pair with your meal.


With this information, you’re ready to explore Northwest Houston with your friends and family! Just make sure that you take the time to enjoy all the things that this area could offer.

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