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Webster vs Houston

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

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

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

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 →

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 →

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

Schools

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

Health

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

10Webster

13Houston

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

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

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Webster’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%

Webster$2,250/mo

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

Houston$1,700/mo

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

Webster and Houston share a border

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

WebsterHouston

Webster ↔ Houston24 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

WebsterHouston

Snow a year0″0″

January low46°F —

July high92°F —

Growing season (days)317d —

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

Outdoors & history

WebsterHouston

Trails2 mi 440 mi

Conserved land0.7%10.5%

Settled1879 1836

National Register places—294

Archive photos—6

Famous people born here—26

Community

WebsterHouston

Library hours a week—44 hrs

Colleges in town—20

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

WebsterHouston

People

Population 12,366Lowest 2,328,253Highest

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

Median age 33.3±4.4Lowest 6% below TX 34.4±0.2Highest 3% 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 19.6%±5Lowest TX: 25% 23.4%±0.3Highest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 14.7%±3.2Highest TX: 13.4% 12.3%±0.2Lowest 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+ 37.9%Highest TX: 33.8% 36.6%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.8%±2.4Highest TX: 6.2% 6.5%±0.2Lowest 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 $61,264±$10kLowest 22% below TX $64,813±$822Highest 17% 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 $281,400±$70kHighest about the TX average $277,800±$3kLowest 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 $1,393±$57Highest about the TX average $1,361±$8Lowest 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 $5,239Highest 24% above TX $4,198Lowest about the TX average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±11.5Highest TX: 51.7% 54.1%±0.9Lowest 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 13.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 19.9%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

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

Work in townworking residents 6.6%Lowest 64.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miHighest 10.3 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 44% work in HoustonFew work in Webster

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 10.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 2.3 miLowest 440.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 306Highest

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

Schools

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

School district CLEAR CREEK ISDTEXANS CAN ACADEMIES · RAUL YZAGUIRRE SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS

High school in town Clear View H SElsik H S

Students per teacherat that high school 8.3Lowest 17.8Highest

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.

Webster neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Webster’s Town Square.

Houston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Houston’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Webster and Houston

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Bordering Webster

League City116,215 people · $360K homes

Nassau Bay5,230 people · $375K homes

Friendswood41,030 people · $420K homes

Towns like Webster

Stafford17,401 people · $258K homes

Marble Falls7,752 people · $339K homes

Commerce9,383 people · $162K homes

Humble16,521 people · $216K 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.