Houston's Best Master Planned Communities

See the 14 best neighborhoods in Houston with the top amenities!

With over 112 master-planned communities in Houston, homebuyers have more options than ever before.

To make our top list, neighborhoods needed to have:

• Top ranked schools
• Great neighborhood amenities
• Affordable homes, with good resale trends
• Excellent accessibility (within 45 minutes of Houston)
• Builders with quality reputations

Some of the most popular new “wow” amenities include: sports pavillions (basketball, soccer, tennis, Olympic size swimming pools, full fitness centers), water parks, equestrian centers, running and hiking trails / cycling routes, dog parks, and recreational centers with planned, weekly community activities (chefs, yoga, farming & onsite instructors).

For appreciation trends, flooding information and custom recommendations, contact Paige Martin, ranked #1 Individual Agent In Keller Williams for the entire state of Texas for the last 4 years.

Curious to know which Houston master-planned communities are best for you? On the lookout for a specific home in any of these neighborhoods? We've got you. Contact Paige Martin at Paige@HoustonProperties.com, ranked #1 Agent with Keller Williams in Texas and #5 Worldwide.

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Table of Contents

1. Best Master-Planned Communities By The Numbers
2. Best Master Planned Communities South / Southwest Of Houston
3. Best Master Planned Communities North Of Houston
4. Methodology for Ranking the Best Houston Neighborhoods

Best Master-Planned Communities By The Numbers

With all the available information out there about all the suburbs in Houston, it can be confusing when finally making a decision on which suburb to choose. Get the advice of the best realtor in Houston and remove the guesswork when shopping for the best master-planned community to live in.

Best Master Planned Communities South / Southwest Of Houston

Buying or selling a home within the best neighborhoods in Houston can be very tricky. With over $500M real estate sales, the Houston Properties Team is the #1 Boutique Real Estate Team in Houston.

1. Sugar Land/Missouri City: Sienna

• Amenities: Club Sienna Water Park (4 resort pools), Amphitheater, Camp Sienna Sports Complex, Equestrian Horse Center, Lake Clubhouse, 18-hole golf course, and walking trails are all included with the annual HOA fee.

• School rankings: 7 Top-Ranked Fort Bend County ISD schools (with very active parental involvement, these schools are feeders into top colleges across the nation.) Notable schools with high rankings from Greatschools.org: Sienna Crossing Elementary (9/10); Billy Baines Middle School (7/10); Ridge Point High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 40-50 mins (Good commute option to Texas Medical Center)

2. Sugar Land: New Territory

• Amenities: 18,000 square foot Clubhouse (pool, full-size gymnasium, fitness rooms, tennis courts & cabana), Sports Complex (9 soccer fields, 4 baseball fields, playground & pavilion), and Dog Park.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high rankings from Greatschools.org: Brazos Bend Elementary (9/10); Sartartia Middle School (10/10); and Clements High School (8/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

3. Sugar Land: Riverstone

• Amenities: The Club (17-acre recreational hub with an 8,000 sq ft clubhouse, 8 tennis courts, fitness center & resort-style pool), and Splash Lagoon.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Commonwealth Elementary (10/10); Fort Settlement Middle School (10/10); and Dulles High School (6/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

4. Richmond: Harvest Green

• Amenities: The FarmHouse community center / on-site farm, “ready-to-grow backyards”, 30 acres of lakes and waterways, 280 acres of greenbelts and open space, and 50 acres of parkland & walkable trail system.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Frost Elementary (9/10); Macario Garcia Middle School (8/10); and Stephen F Austin High School (8/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

5. Katy: Cinco Ranch

• Amenities: The Lake House & Water Park, Tennis Courts, The Children’s Garden, The Beach Club, and The Golf Club.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Joella Exley Elementary (7/10); Cinco Ranch Jr High (8/10); and Cinco Ranch High School (8/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: West

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

6. Katy: Cane Island

• Amenities: The Cane Quarter houses a two-story cafe shaped like a treehouse, a yoga studio, a fitness center, a nature-themed party room, a recreational pool, and picnic grounds for bonfires and events.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Katy Elementary (9/10); Tays Junior High (9/10); and Katy High School (6/10)

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: West

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

7. Fulshear: Cross Creek Ranch

• Amenities: Resort-style pool “Adventure Island” with splash & spray park, 4 wading &/or lap pools, 140-foot water slide, Italian Maid Cafe, 32 miles of trails and 650 acres of lakes and parks, and the award-winning Polishing Pond.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Huggins Elementary (6/10); Dean Leaman Jr High (7/10); and Fulshear High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: West

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 40-50 minutes

• Note: Lakes of Bella Terra (gated community), and Westin Lakes are luxury subdivisions within Cross Creek Ranch.

8. Richmond: Aliana

• Amenities: The Club At Aliana (houses ballroom, two party rooms, dual commercial-grade kitchen, swim center, tennis court, 24-hour fitness facility, and large covered patio for outdoor events), The Westmoor Club at Aliana (houses room rental spaces; game room with ping pong table, arcade basketball, and foosball; event lawn with summer “Movies On The Lawn”; community pool and splash pad; fitness center; play area; and tennis courts), and Parks & Trails.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Carolyn & Vernon Madden Elementary (9/10); James Bowie Middle School (8/10); and Travis High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

9. Richmond: Lakes of Bella Terra

• Amenities: Two Recreation Centers: Recreation Center I houses a pool, gym, volleyball court, and lighted tennis courts; Recreation Center II has a world-class pool with water slides and an outside pavilion. Dog parks, community ponds, and nature trails.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Griffin Elementary (9/10); Seven Lakes Jr High (10/10); and Seven Lakes High School (9/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Southwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

• Note: There are three separate communities: Lakes of Bella Terra, Lakes of Bella Terra West, and Lago Verde Estates. The data above is the median of all properties, but the specific price points of each vary. Most homes here are 2012 or newer. Contact us for details.

10. Pearland: Shadow Creek Ranch

• Amenities: Entire neighborhood is “lake-themed,” with 300 acres of lakes. Four recreation centers with pools, and facilities for volleyball, basketball, and tennis.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Mary Burks Marek Elementary (7/10); Nolan Ryan Jr High (7/10); and Glenda Dawson High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: South

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 20-30 minutes

Best Master Planned Communities North Of Houston

There is an overwhelming amount of information out there about the best neighborhoods in Houston. Get the advice of our luxury realtors – we care more.

11. Cypress: Towne Lake

• Amenities: Slalom water skiing course on a 300-acre private recreational lake. 14 miles of shoreline, community’s water park with a sandy beach, water slides and lazy river, amenities center water park, and Towne lake boardwalk (restaurants, shopping, etc), free pontoon boat tours.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Rennell Elementary (8/10); Anthony Middle School (7/10); and Cypress Ranch High School (8/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Northwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

12. Cypress Bridgeland

• Amenities: Town Center (retail and dining), Nature Reserve (3,000-acre network of lakes, trails, and parks with kayaking, canoeing, and paddle-boating), and Dragonfly Park (a 25-acre lake-centered activity park with hike and bike trails, swimming pools, lazy river, and more.

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Wells Elementary; Pope Elementary (10/10); Smith Middle School (10/10); and Bridgeland High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Northwest

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

13. The Woodlands: Creekside Park Village

• Amenities: Rob Fleming Aquatic Center (20 acres of community pool complex with a lazy river, a network of water slides, an interactive aquatic structure, and a 3-lane lap pool).

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Timber Creek Elementary (9/10); Creekside Park Jr High (9/10); and The Woodlands High School (8/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: North

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 50-60 minutes

14. Humble: Balmoral

• Amenities: Crystal Lagoon (2 acres of man-made lagoon and water theme park).

• School rankings: Top Ranked. Notable schools with high ratings from Greatschools.org: Groves Elementary (6/10); Timberwood Middle School (4/10); and Quest Early College High School (7/10).

• Direction from Houston Inner Loop: Northeast

• Approx. commute time to Inner Loop: 30-40 minutes

Methodology for Ranking the Best Houston Neighborhoods

The Houston Properties Team has a well-defined structure based on the individual strengths of each member. Each member is a specialist in their role – which is why our homes sell faster and for more money than average.

• Data covers single family home sales within communities listed above

• All Houston property sale information was sourced by the HAR MLS database

• Schools rating taken from GreatSchools.Org

• Data is deemed accurate, but is not guaranteed. Information is provided for informational purposes only

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