Conroe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Galveston
Conroe
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 49%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs79 · Bottom 47%
Schools
22 · Bottom 14%
vs66 · Top 32%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 3%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Galveston | Conroe | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,424 | 102,360 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,631 | $76,206 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,926 | $39,945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,302/sq mi | 1,349/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $326,000 | $309,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,298 | $1,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.2% | 54.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 34.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 244 | 1,121 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.5% | -40.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.2" | 47.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.08 | 15.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.0% | 49.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 44.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.8% | 52.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Galveston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Conroe
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Galveston, TX · Conroe, TX · How this is calculated: methodology