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Houston vs Webster

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (191.4× in Houston) and size (188.3× in Houston).

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Houston, TXA history townTexas · 2,328,253 people

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Webster, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 12,366 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

HoustonA history town

HistorySettled in 1836294 places on the National Register College town20 collegesUniversity of Houston

Outdoors#56 most conserved land in TX440 miles of trails across 306 parks and preserves All about Houston →

WebsterOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SafetySafer than 3%of U.S. towns we grade Work18,705 jobsbased in Webster, a regional job hub All about Webster →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Houston has more miles of trail

Houston 440.3 miWebster 2.3 mi

Houston is the bigger place

Houston 2,328,253Webster 12,366

Work in town+58.1 pts

More of Houston’s workers stay in town

Houston 64.7%Webster 6.6%

Growth since 2010+10.4 pts

Webster has grown faster since 2010

Webster +20.2%Houston +9.8%

Homeowners+19.7 pts renters

Webster has more renters

Houston 42.1%Webster 22.4%

Property tax bill+25%

Tax bills are bigger in Webster

Webster $5,239Houston $4,198

★ What stands out · Report cards

Houston places higher on 13 of 23 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

D−HoustonSafer than 2% of U.S. towns D−WebsterSafer than 3% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−HoustonBetter than 16% of districts in the state B+WebsterBetter than 74% of districts in the state

Health

C+HoustonHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns A−WebsterHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns

13Houston

10Webster

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #56#460 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #577#179 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #363#120 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #309#83 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #306#98 Most trailsOutdoors · 405 towns #125#247 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #194#379 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #283#90

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Houston’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Webster

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Houston$1,700/mo

Typical home $262K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $1,361/mo · Housing →

Webster$2,250/mo

Typical home $331K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.86% · or rent about $1,393/mo · Housing →

The difference: $550 a month, about $6,600 a year, between Webster and Houston.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Houston and Webster share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

HoustonWebster

Houston ↔ Webster24 miles apart · They share a border

Who commutes between them

2,502 Webster residents work in Houston (43.6% of its workers)

Work & commute in Webster →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

HoustonWebster

Snow a year0″0″

January low—46°F

July high—92°F

Growing season (days)—317d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th 64th

Outdoors & history

HoustonWebster

Trails440 mi 2 mi

Conserved land10.5%0.7%

Settled1836 1879

National Register places294 —

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here26 —

Community

HoustonWebster

Library hours a week44 hrs —

Colleges in town20 —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Texas average

HoustonWebster

People

Population 2,328,253Highest 12,366Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.8%Lowest TX: +15.9% +20.2%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 34.4±0.2Highest 3% below TX 33.3±4.4Lowest 6% below TX

Houston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 23.4%±0.3Highest TX: 25% 19.6%±5Lowest TX: 25%

Houston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 12.3%±0.2Lowest TX: 13.4% 14.7%±3.2Highest TX: 13.4%

Webster and Houston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36.6%Lowest TX: 33.8% 37.9%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.5%±0.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 7.8%±2.4Highest TX: 6.2%

Webster and Houston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $64,813±$822Highest 17% below TX $61,264±$10kLowest 22% below TX

Houston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $277,800±$3kLowest about the TX average $281,400±$70kHighest about the TX average

Webster and Houston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,361±$8Lowest about the TX average $1,393±$57Highest about the TX average

Webster and Houston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,198Lowest about the TX average $5,239Highest 24% above TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.1%±0.9Lowest TX: 51.7% 55.6%±11.5Highest TX: 51.7%

Webster and Houston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 19.9%Highest TX: 13.8% 13.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 42.1%Highest TX: 62.6% 22.4%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Lowest 10 yrs older than TX 1991Highest 1 yr older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minLowest about the TX average 28 minHighest 4% above TX

Work from home 13%±0.3Highest TX: 14.4% 6.7%±3.7Lowest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 64.7%Highest 6.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.00Lowest 3.26Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sugar Land (2%)Houston (44%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Webster44% work in Houston

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 10.5%Highest 0.7%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 440.3 miHighest 2.3 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 306Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.8Highest 67.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #384 of 583 in TX #401 of 583 in TX

School district TEXANS CAN ACADEMIES · RAUL YZAGUIRRE SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESSCLEAR CREEK ISD

High school in town Elsik H SClear View H S

Students per teacherat that high school 17.8Highest 8.3Lowest

Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Houston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Houston’s Town Square.

Webster neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Webster’s Town Square.

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Bordering Houston

Channelview43,605 people · $196K homes

Spring68,580 people · $232K homes

Atascocita99,354 people · $307K homes

Mission Bend36,586 people · $234K homes

Towns like Houston

Dallas1,307,930 people · $321K homes

San Antonio1,479,835 people · $236K homes

Fort Worth963,194 people · $303K homes

Austin979,539 people · $555K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.