Signals
South Houston
The Woodlands
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs85 · Top 7%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 13%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | South Houston | The Woodlands | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,033 | 121,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,497 | $140,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,830 | $73,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,264/sq mi | 2,796/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,300 | $511,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.3% | 66.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.2 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.63 | 15.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.8% | 65.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.4% | 63.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.8% | 31.4% | 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
South Houston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
The Woodlands
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Houston
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
The Woodlands
77
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Houston, TX · The Woodlands, TX · How this is calculated: methodology