Living in The Woodlands, TX

Montgomery County

The Woodlands is a large, master-planned community about 30 miles north of downtown Houston in Montgomery County, built around preserved forest and hike-and-bike trails rather than the cleared-lot suburban template common elsewhere in the metro. It has become a genuine corporate-office hub in its own right rather than a pure Houston commuter suburb: ExxonMobil relocated roughly 10,000 employees to a ~385-acre campus here starting in 2014, and Chevron Phillips Chemical completed a new six-story Woodlands headquarters around early 2025. Prices reflect that identity -- the median sale price ran about $649,646 in June 2026 (Redfin), the highest figure in this batch by a wide margin.

Explore The Woodlands in depth

Exploring the idea of moving?

We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.

Learn more

Housing

Median sale price (The Woodlands city)$649,646

Median sale price for all home types cited at $649,646 for June 2026, up 3.9% year-over-year -- the highest figure in this five-place batch by a wide margin.

Median sale price (Montgomery County)Not yet verified

Taxes

Local effective property tax rateNot yet verified

Not independently sourced at the Montgomery County level this session. Texas carries no income tax statewide. See the Texas hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as The Woodlands-specific.

Want to know what your budget actually buys here?

Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.

Get local guidance

The tradeoffs

Pros

Genuinely distinct identity built around preserved forest and trails rather than cleared suburban lots, with real corporate-HQ gravity (ExxonMobil, Chevron Phillips) that gives residents local jobs, not just a commute; highly rated schools and a Niche-cited low-crime reputation.

Cons

Highest median home price in this batch by a wide margin ($649,646 vs. roughly $351K-$491K for the other four places), and still carries the same hurricane and heavy-rain flood exposure as the rest of the Houston metro despite sitting roughly 30 miles inland.

Who this fits

Best for: Families and professionals working at or near the ExxonMobil/Chevron Phillips corporate campuses who want a walkable, forested master-planned environment and can afford the highest price point in this batch.

Maybe not for you if: Buyers prioritizing affordability should look to Katy or Pearland instead -- The Woodlands' median price runs well above the rest of this batch.

Planning a move?

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.

Talk to a local expert
Last reviewed: 2026-08-21. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.