For many people, the biggest deterrent from moving into or near a major city like Houston is the crime rate. Crime can happen in any city or community in the country, but when you have more people, more crime naturally follows.
In Houston — now the fourth largest city in the country — crime comes with the territory, and some neighborhoods are safer than others. If you have young children, then safety might be more of a priority for you. You want your kids to be able to play outside without worrying about them constantly, and you want to be reassured that your kids can walk down the block alone to play with friends.
Now Advanced Pro Services is a born-and-bred Houston company, and all of our staff lives locally, so we know just about every area and neighborhood in Houston. We’ve fixed gutters out in Sugar Land and done pressure washing and soft washing jobs on the older homes of the Heights. We care about our city, and we’ve seen it grow and change into the beautiful place we know today.
So if you’re looking for a home in Houston, here is our list of the safest neighborhoods in Houston — and what we love about them the most.
In the city
Even if you have a young family, you can still find some of the safest neighborhoods in Houston to raise your children. These areas have lower crime rates, but they still offer the unique, neighborhood feel that so many people crave when moving to Houston.
Midtown
Working in Downtown Houston can be great, but not everyone can take living in an urban jungle. But if you like the Downtown feel, Midtown may be the next best neighborhood for you — and it happens to be one of the safest neighborhoods in Houston.
Located right near Downtown Houston, Midtown is safer than neighborhoods such as Montrose, the Museum District and Galleria-Uptown with a crime rate 44% lower than other Texas cities. After experiencing a bit of a slump in the 1990s, Midtown experienced a renaissance of sorts and more investment began to pour into the neighborhood.
Now Midtown is one of the most walkabout neighborhoods in Houston, and there are always lots of activities going on. It’s also a tight-knit community that holds regular meetings on public safety, service and maintenance and culture and arts. You can be as involved as you like in the community.
In addition to being one of the safest neighborhoods in Houston, it’s also very affordable for young families and professionals. The median house sells for about $230,000, and rent hovers around $1,200 per month. If that seems a bit expensive, remember you can save by taking public transportation to work around Houston or cutting down to just one car for you and your family.
Westchase
Most people who want to live in Houston think that only inside the 610 loop is acceptable and everywhere else might as well be Cleveland. But if that’s your way of thinking, then you’re going to be missing out on some of the safest neighborhoods in Houston as well as some fun, affordable and exciting places to live.
That’s why Westchase can sometimes be overlooked. Located on the west side of Houston, Westchase is safer than 21% of Texas cities, and its median home prices come in at about $132,000, which can be pretty affordable for young families looking for a great starter home. It’s also located near the Energy Corridor, which houses companies like BP and Shell, but even if you work downtown, it’s just a 25-minute drive.
Westchase has a great mix of single-family homes and condos for purchase as well as renting, and it has a great business district, so you never need to travel too far to pick up groceries. For golf fanatics, there’s also the Royal Oaks Country Club located in the neighborhood. What’s more, the neighborhood boasts a diverse mix of people, which gives the area a more inclusive feel.
Residents of Westchase pride themselves on living in a low-crime area, and they take safety seriously. When you walk through the area, you’ll probably pass Westchase District Patrol officers in their cars or on bikes. Their presence helps deter crime, and they’re able to respond to emergencies quickly. There are also cameras in the area, which also deter crime and can assist with any prosecutions when necessary.
Spring Branch
Though Spring Branch covers a large area with smaller neighborhoods within it, it has a great reputation for being one of the safest neighborhoods in Houston. It was founded before the city of Houston itself was founded, and it wasn’t fully annexed into the city until the 1960s.
Spring Branch is much quieter than other neighborhoods, and you’ll find a lot of families living in the area. Though laid-back and casual now, Houstonian magazine named it one of the top 10 hottest neighborhoods in Houston. Here you’ll find mid-century ranches that offer plenty of space for you and your family, Many of the people living in Spring Branch have been there for decades, so those living in and around the community have invested in it.
Safety also matters in Spring Branch. In fact, it’s safer than 35% of other Texas cities, but it’s still affordable for younger families and even couples who are just starting out. The median home price in the area is about $216,000, which means there’s a good mix of higher and lower prices homes in the area. Rent is also doable in Spring Branch with the median rent price being just under $800 per month. New construction has been going on in the area, but there’s still a lot of older ranches available.
In the suburbs
Some believe that being out in the suburbs is safer than being in a major city, but that’s rarely the case. Not all suburbs are the same either, so check out our picks for the safest suburbs around Houston.
Sugar Land
Easily considered one of the safest suburbs around Houston — and really in the country according to Safewise — Sugar Land has a great reputation for being safe. Much of the crime in the area is property crime and thefts, so as long as you follow our safety tips below, you’ll likely never have an issue with crime.
Sugar Land has so many rivers and waterways going through it, and it has plenty of green space. It combines the best of small-town living and big-city lights. Being located southwest of Houston means the commute to downtown Houston is a bit far, but if you don’t work downtown anyway, then this isn’t much of an issue.
As Sugar Land is quite large, there are a lot of options when it comes to home prices. You can find massive mansions for well over $1 million, but you can still find condos and single-family homes for much less.
League City
For those that love living near the Gulf of Mexico, League City has the best of both worlds, making it one of the safest suburbs in Houston. It’s known for being a safe city, but it’s also just a short drive to the coast or even down to Gavelston. Like Sugar Land, most of the crime that happens in League City involves property, such as theft and burglary. If you take care of your property, then you likely won’t have much of an issue.
While the median home price in Texas is just below $230,000, that still leaves a lot of affordability open to small families. The median rent price is also just about $1,200, which is similar to a lot of rents in Houston itself, but in League City, you may get much more space and amenity options for your rent.
Fulshear
If you’re okay living just a bit farther out of Houston proper, the suburb of Fulshear may meet your needs for safety and space. This small community is one of the safest cities in Houston, and it’s unique in that it runs vertical in space rather than spreading out in all directions. It’s actually closer to Katy than it is to Houston, and most of its residents commute to nearby cities for work.
What is nice about Fulshear though is the new construction aspect of it. If you want to build your dream home, complete with all the amenities you could ever want, then Fulshear will give you the space at a much lower cost than you would find in Houston or even Katy. Even now the city has a small-town feel, but many expect it to continue to grow.
Friendswood
What a friendly name, right? Located right next to League City, Friendswood routinely tops the list of safest suburbs in Houston, and there’s plenty to do and see. Being so close to Galveston means it’s never a problem to get down to the coast, and that’s fitting if you like going to the beach or participating in water sports.
Friendswood is considered a more affluent neighborhood, and you won’t find many starter homes in the area. However, if you’re looking to move your family out of the city, then Friendswood offers a lot of great amenities such as good schools, plenty of businesses and shops and that great low-crime rate.
Tips for living in the safest neighborhoods in Houston
Just because a neighborhood is considered one of the safest neighborhoods in Houston doesn’t mean you’ll never be the victim of a crime ever. You still need to be alert and sensible about your surroundings, and you need to teach your children how to look out for themselves.
Here are a few tips for living in the safest neighborhoods in Houston:
- Lock doors, windows, garages and cars: You’d be surprised how much crime occurs not because a thief broke in, but because the home, garage or car was already open. If you;re leaving your home, lock your doors and shut your garage door. Make sure your windows have locks, and if you leave them open during the day, make sure the ones of the first floor have guards that can pop out above the window and stop it from sliding up further.
- Keep lights on — even when you’re not home: People who want to commit crimes look for a cross between the best payoff and the least risk. If you have lights on around your home and motion-sensored lights near your back and side doors, most thieves will probably look for an easier target. Set timers in your home so lights go on automatically at night, even when you’re not home.
- Install home security cameras and technology: Whether you go for a home security system or just install a Ring video doorbell, these security measures will help protect your home and may even record any incidents around your neighborhood.
Crime can happen to just about anyone anywhere, but you can lessen your chances of being a victim of a crime if you lock up when you leave your home and be smart about your surroundings.
If you’re considering moving to any of these neighborhoods or suburbs and you’re concerned about crime, here’s a tip: Visit your potential new home at night. Pay attention to your surroundings and make a note of how many people are out and about. Do you see kids playing outside or anyone sitting out on a front porch? Notice the streetlights and see how well the area is lit at night. Walk around and see how you feel about the neighborhood. If it’s dark and poorly lit, maybe that won’t be the neighborhood for you. Try different days of the week before you make up your mind. A Tuesday in October is likely to be quieter than a Tuesday in July.
Share with us: Which of these neighborhoods and suburbs do you find to be the safest? We want to hear your thoughts, so share with us in the comments and let us know what you think.
