Katy Neighborhoods Near Top Schools

Katy Independent School District (KISD) is one of the best school districts in Texas. Earning the highest accountability rating of ‘A’ from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), KISD’s excellence remains one of the top reasons Katy is among Houston’s Best Suburbs.

Part of KISD’s commitment to continued growth and expansion is the newly opened Amy Campbell Elementary along Cross Creek Bend Lane in Fulshear, with 6 more schools slated to open from 2019 through 2021.

Due to the high number of schools serving the 181-square-mile Greater Katy area, we only listed public schools with:

• defined school boundaries
• a 4 of 4 Performance Index Rating
• a 9 or 10 rating (out of 10 possible) from GreatSchools.org.

1. Grand Lakes

The beautiful master-planned community Grand Lakes spans a 1,200-acre area in south Katy.

Located some 8 miles south of the city of Katy, the Grand Lakes community is known for its great atmosphere and high performing schools. Four of the Best Schools in the Greater Houston area serve Grand Lakes homes: Alexander Elementary, Griffin Elementary, Beckendorff Junior High, and Seven Lakes High School.

Grand Lakes is within Katy, one of Houston’s Best Suburbs. Like its neighbors Cinco Ranch and Seven Meadows, Grand Lakes features a variety of community amenities. Residents can enjoy the community’s parks, stocked lakes, and multi-use trails, among others.

Located just north of Westpark Tollway and on both sides of Grand Parkway, Grand Lakes offers great accessibility. Key districts in Fulshear, Richmond, and Houston are minutes away from the community.

Grand Lakes real estate range from large estates to traditional bungalows, some of which sit next to the community’s many lakes.

See All Grand Lakes Homes For Sale

2. Cinco Ranch

Cinco Ranch is one of the bestselling master-planned communities in the Greater Katy area, and is often praised for its excellent schools and beautiful homes.

Cinco Ranch homes are zoned to the Katy Independent School District. Most of the community’s neighborhood schools also have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools. The list includes Griffin Elementary, Stanley Elementary, Wilson Elementary, Seven Lakes Jr High, and Beckendorff Jr High.

The master-planned community also features several parks, pools, tennis courts, and hike and bike trails. Some sections of Cinco Ranch also feature recreational centers and water parks.

Cinco Ranch homes are minutes away from major freeways and thoroughfares, including Grand Parkway, Interstate 10, and Westpark Tollway. Previously a working ranch, Cinco Ranch was named for the 5 oilmen who purchased the vast acreage from its original owners. The master-planned community is now under Newland Communities. Upon completion, Cinco Ranch will have over 14,000 homes.

See All Cinco Ranch Homes For Sale

3. Avalon At Seven Meadows

Avalon at Seven Meadows is a gated residential enclave nestled about 8 miles south of the city of Katy.

Avalon at Seven Meadows homes are zoned to some of the Best Schools in the Greater Houston area, including Griffin Elementary, Beckendorff Junior High, and Seven Lakes High School.

Located adjacent to Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club, Avalon at Seven Meadows offers homes with gorgeous views of the community’s many lakes and the golf course next door.

Avalon at Seven Meadows is a 24-hour manned gated subdivision that rivals Houston’s Best Gated Communities.

The community features amenities to suit different tastes and pursuits: a network of lakes for boating and kayaking, two parks, two tennis courts, playgrounds, and several greenbelts and trails.

Avalon at Seven Meadows real estate typically feature large, expansive lots, ranging from 8,000 to more than 18,000 square feet.

See All Avalon At Seven Meadows Homes For Sale

For more data on the other top Katy neighborhoods with good schools for custom list of homes zoned to top rated Katy schools, contact Paige Martin, ranked as the #1 Individual Agent with Keller Williams in the city of Houston.

Top Katy Neighborhoods With Best Amenities

1. Windsor Park Lakes

The upscale community of Windsor Park Lakes is among the most expensive neighborhoods in Katy. It has two gated entrances: the south gate is for residents only, while the north gate near I-10 is manned 24/7 for residents, guests, and contractors.

Residents enjoy a slew of amenities, which include a community playground, a fully-furnished clubhouse for community events and private functions, lighted tennis and basketball courts, swimming pools, walking trails, landscaped gardens and gazebos, and a well-equipped fitness room.

A network of lakes woven throughout the neighborhood, with private and communal docks/piers, allows for fishing and boating.

See All Windsor Park Lakes Homes For Sale

5. Grayson Lakes

The 325-acre master-planned community of Grayson Lakes is comprised of more than 500 homes, most of which are located by the community’s lakes. The neighborhood is built around a central lake, and features 30 acres of green space, 17 fountains, and four lakes that are home to fish, turtles, and several waterfowl varieties.

The community also has an 800-square-foot clubhouse and recreation center, tennis courts, a swimming pool with a wading area for children, playgrounds, parks, and trails that weave throughout the neighborhood.

See All Grayson Lakes Homes For Sale

Most Accessible Katy Neighborhoods

1. Cinco Ranch

Cinco Ranch is among the biggest master-planned communities in Katy. La Centerra, a 34-acre upscale mixed-use development is located within Cinco Ranch, and is a popular spot for retail, dining, and entertainment.

Nestled 5 miles southeast of the city of Katy and with easy access to Grand Parkway and Westheimer Parkway, the community is a relatively short drive away from key areas like The Galleria, and downtown Houston. Typhoon Texas Waterpark is only 10-12 minutes away, while Westgate Business Park—one of Katy’s employment hubs—is located just 6 miles away from the community.

Cinco Ranch also has easy access to Westchase district which houses more than 1,500 businesses, and Energy Corridor, a master-planned business district with over 800,000 employees. Its excellent amenities, accessibility, and prime location make Cinco Ranch one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Katy.

See All Cinco Ranch Homes For Sale

Pine Forest

Avalon at Seven Meadows

Pin Oak Village

Windsor Park Lakes

Seven Meadows

Cinco Ranch Northwest

Governors Place

Westheimer Lakes North

Westgreen Park

Oak Park Trails

Most Expensive Katy Neighborhoods

Lakeforest of Kelliwood

Located between Interstate 10 and Westheimer Parkway, Lake Forest of Kelliwood is an exclusive, gated community comprised of roughly 70 luxury estates and lakeside homes sprawled across expansive lots.

With lot sizes ranging from 20,000 to over 70,000 square feet, the custom-built luxury homes in the community commonly feature 4–6 bedrooms, sweeping driveways, private pools, and oversized garages.

Lake Pointe Estates

With 24-hour gate security, Lake Pointe Estates is an exclusive community of around 90 luxury homes built around a 20-acre central lake.

It sits northeast of Westheimer Parkway and two miles south of I-10, and offers premier amenities. Lake Pointe Estates homes are one-acre properties that typically feature 4–5 bedrooms, and have direct lake access with private docks.

Windsor Park Lakes

Windsor Park Lakes is a limited-access, gated community comprised of roughly 345 two-story lakefront homes. Located just off Barker Road and a mile away from I-10 (Katy Freeway), residents enjoy easy access to the city of Katy, Energy Corridor, and Memorial.

Amenities at Windsor Park Lakes include tennis and basketball courts, swimming pools, lakes with private and communal docks, fitness room, gardens and gazebos, and community playground.

Avalon at Seven Meadows

Located roughly 8 miles south of the city of Katy and south of S Fry Road, Avalon at Seven Meadows within Fort Bend County is a premier gated subdivision of single-family properties. With expansive lots and home sizes that range from 2,500–6,500 sq.ft., almost all of the 299 homes feature views of the community’s green space and many lakes, or the adjacent Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club.

Avalon is part of the larger Seven Meadows community, giving the former’s residents access to more amenities and services, including landscape trails, six-acre central park, and daily constable patrols.

August Lakes

August Lakes is a two-phase, 128-acre gated residential community of custom-built homes designed to revolve around water sports and activities. All homes are required to have at least 3-car garages, and a minimum size of 3,000 square feet sitting on lots measuring at least one acre.

Located north of Clay Road, roughly 4 miles from the city of Katy and 5 miles from Grand Parkway, August Lakes is expected to have a total of 55 luxury lakefront homes with direct access to lakes with private docks and boathouses.

Parklake Village

Parklake Village is a 73-acre gated lake community in Waller County that lies adjacent to George Bush Park. With close to 15 acres of stocked lakes, park trails, and just over 100 single-family properties, residents enjoy quiet, country living surrounded by nature.

Parklake Village homes typically have 4–6 bedrooms, with prices starting at around $500,000 and can go up to $2,000,000.

The Reserve at Katy

The Reserve at Katy is a new construction boutique community consisting of two sections: The Trace and The Estates. Located less than 10 minutes away from the city of Katy and with premier access to I-10, the luxury Toll Brothers homes in the neighborhood carry prices that range from $350,000–$800,000.

Amenities include a 4-acre recreation center, swimming pools, splash pad, and hiking/biking trails.

Windsor Park Estates

Located a mile south of I-10 (Katy Freeway), between Barker Cypress Road and Fry Road, Windsor Park Estates is a gated residential enclave comprised of roughly 345 luxury homes.

The custom-built homes typically feature 4–6 bedrooms, swimming pools, and multi-car garages on lots that range in size from 12,000–30,000 square feet. The community’s proximity to Energy Corridor, top-ranking schools, and great amenities contribute to its properties’ strong values that start at $500,000 and can go up to $1,100,000.

Kelliwood Greens

Kelliwood Greens is made up of mostly two-story single-family homes with 4-5 bedrooms, private pools, and spacious patios and/or backyards.

Part of the larger master-planned community of Kelliwood, the subdivision lies on either side of S Fry Road, roughly 3 miles away from Cinco Ranch and minutes away from George Bush Park and Energy Corridor. The price range of Kelliwood Greens properties is $350,000–$700,000+.

Katy Lake Estates

Located just off of Pitts Road and 5 miles north from the city of Katy, this deed-restricted lakeside community is comprised of three sections with a total of around 90 single-family homes.

Properties in Katy Lake Estates typically feature 4–5 bedrooms with a median square footage of 3,800. Prices of homes for sale start at $350,000 and can go up to over $1,000,000.

Cane Island

Opened in 2015, Cane Island is a 1,100-acre master-planned community in east Katy. It’s composed of 7 neighborhoods, 3 of which are gated. Zoned to some of the best Katy ISD schools, Cane Island homes also have excellent accessibility via Cane Island Parkway, which connects the community to Interstate 10 and Highway Boulevard.

The community offers a long list of amenities that include a cafe, two-story fitness center and yoga studio, swimming pools for kids and adults, splash pad, amphitheater and fire pit, a 1,500-square-foot conservatory for private events, and planned parks and trails, and lakes and waterways for fishing and kayaking.

The luxury new construction homes in Cane Island typically have 3–5 bedrooms on sizeable lots that range from 6,000–15,000 square feet. Properties in The Estates, however, typically have half-acre lots with a garage-attached “street pantry”—an air-conditioned room to store deliveries when owners are away. Several homes are already available in some sections within Cane Island, with prices that start at $250,000 and some selling for as much as $1,800,000.

Cross Creek Ranch

Cross Creek Ranch is an eco-friendly master-planned community located just off FM 1093 in west Katy. Most of the community’s amenities are designed around nature and encourage active lifestyles: tennis, basketball, and sand volleyball courts, parks and playgrounds, swimming pools, lakes, and around 30 miles of hike and bike trails that connect the neighborhoods.

Within Cross Creek Ranch is Bonterra, an age-restricted subdivision designed for active adults aged 55 and up. The community also has two on-site schools, with two more being built. Also currently under construction is The Market—a two-phase commercial development of roughly 25 acres of retail, dining, and service space. The Market is expected to reach completion by 2019.

Elyson

Located north of I-10 along FM 529 is the 3,600-acre multi-phase construction neighborhood of Elyson by Newland Communities. Roughly 9 miles north of the city of Katy, the community has easy access to Grand Parkway via Freeman Road.

Elyson currently features three lakeside neighborhoods, most of which are composed of homes fronting the water and/or with lake and greenbelt views. With the first phase completed, the community currently offers tennis courts, community center with pool, cafe, event lawn, fitness center, and game room.

Planned to house over 6,200 homes and more than 750 acres of parks, lakes, and natural open spaces, Elyson will also have on-site schools, fruit orchards, and 30 miles of trails that connect the neighborhoods. Home prices at Elyson start at $350,000.

Falls at Green Meadows

Falls at Green Meadows is a 242-acre residential master-planned community located within the city of Katy, along Avenue D and Franz Road, at the former location of the Meadowbrook Golf Course. Key areas such as the Energy Corridor, Westchase, and Downtown Houston are easily accessible via I-10. The community is composed of 9 sections (2 of which are already open), and will have around 460 homes upon completion.

Among the amenities offered within the community are lakes, walking trails, a recreation center/clubhouse with swimming pool, and playground. In addition, residents have access to facilities at the Katy City Park’s recreation center with tournament-sized baseball and softball fields, among others.

Marshall Oaks

The fully gated community of Marshall Oaks is located off Falcon Landing boulevard, just outside Cinco Ranch, with easy access to Westheimer Parkway and Grand Parkway. Among the amenities available are walking/jogging trails, playgrounds, and a fishing pier/dock, while currently in development is a swimming pool and other community facilities.

Bungalows and two-story homes in Marshall Oaks typically feature 3–5 bedrooms with an average square footage of 3,500. Home prices start at $320,00 with some properties selling for up to $1,500,000.

Flooding Information On Katy Neighborhoods

Although most of the homes and neighborhoods in Katy are built on a 100-year and 500-year floodplain, it should be noted that hurricane Harvey was a rare weather event. A floodplain is defined as any area susceptible to flooding from any source. This includes low-lying land, coastal areas, or land along rivers, bayous, and waterways.

Canyon Gate at Cinco Ranch was one of the first neighborhoods to get flooded during hurricane Harvey due to its close proximity to the Barker reservoir. Other neighborhoods and areas that saw flooding include:

A common misconception is that the “500-year flood” only occurs once in 500 years. However, it simply means that the designated area has a 0.2 percent (1 in 500) chance of experiencing flood every single year, or 6 percent chance in a 30-year period. For a 100-year floodplain, this means 1 percent chance of flood every year, and a 26 percent chance during a 30-year period.

Floodplains in general can be defined by the area’s natural features such as topography and elevation, or by man-made structures. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), however, defines floodplains through modeled estimates based on computer models and statistical estimates of rainfall amounts in the area. As such, areas in 100-year and 500-year floodplains may still flood more often than indicated in their respective designations.

Katy neighborhoods constructed on a 100-year and 500-year floodplain include:

Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) Katy Neighborhoods

Aside from serving as a helpful warning to residents, another reason FEMA designates 100- and 500-year floodplains nationwide is to set flood insurance rates for properties.

Every community in the U.S. has a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), also referred to as a flood map. FEMA is responsible for identifying which communities are special flood hazard areas (SFHA). FEMA engineers and cartographers use data gathered from Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) to delineate and pinpoint SFHAs on flood maps.

In flood maps, neighborhoods built on a 100-year floodplain are considered SFHAs—areas that will be inundated by a 1-percent-annual-chance flood, also called the base flood or 100-year flood.

The 100-year flood is the regulatory standard used by most states and federal agencies in floodplain management programs, and is the basis used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for setting insurance requirements nationwide.

Special Flood Hazard Areas are labelled as: Zone A, Zone AO, Zone AH, Zones A1-A30, Zone AE, Zone A99, Zone AR, Zone AR/AE, Zone AR/AO, Zone AR/A1-A30, Zone AR/A, Zone V, Zone VE, and Zones V1-V30.

Moderate Flood Hazard Areas are also shown on FIRMs and are labeled Zone B or Zone X (shaded). These are the areas between the limits of the 100-year flood (or base flood) and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (or 500-year) flood. Neighborhoods built on 500-year floodplains fall under this category as well.

Minimal Flood Hazard Areas are labeled Zone C or Zone X (unshaded). These are lands outside the SFHAs that are also higher than the elevation of the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood.

As an example, here are some neighborhoods in Katy and the hazard areas they fall under.

Data Sources & Disclaimers