Houston, Texas

What It Is Like to Retire in Houston

As the largest city in the largest contiguous state, Houston does a good job of living up that challenge.  For starters, its population is over 2.3 million and the city ranges over an area of almost 600 square miles. It is named after former President of the Rebublic of Texas, General Sam Houston. The city is home to a very large number of Fortune 500 corporations, many of them energy related, as well as being one of the busiest ports in the U.S.  As the home of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston has been dubbed the "Space City".  Houston is a cultural powerhouse - its museum district alone attracts over 7 million visitors a year.  The downtown Houston Theater District hosts nine major performing arts organizations and six performance halls.  Photo of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts courtesy of Wikipedia and Daniel2986 in the public domain. Photo of big skyline courtesy of Carol M. Highsmith and the Library of Congress.

Where to Retire in Houston and Home Prices

Houston and a vast area around it are home to countless developments that are either 55+ or comprised mostly of baby boomer and older residents (see links at right). Houston has not suffered as greatly as most cities during the housing bust. National Association of Realtors reports the median sale price of a home in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area to be $281,800 in the 1st quarter of 2021.  The area is so big and diverse that there is certainly the right community or neighborhood for just about anybody.

What Is Special about Houston

Being the "Space City" for NASA adds a lot of excitement. Houston is a cultural and economic powerhouse - it is big on everything.

What Is Not Special about Houston

Houston is hot and humid in the summer, and there is a lot of sprawl, traffic, and crime.  Some parts of the city do not have sidewalks, and mass transit has been an afterthought. It is not thought of as a walkable city, although there might be some parts that are.

Who Will Like Retirement in Houston

People from Texas who want to retire to be in or close to an urban area will find no shortage of entertainment or recreation options in Houston. The city is very diverse with a large Hispanic and foreign population - the average age is also quite young.

Local Economy Is Driven by

Houston is recognized world-wide for it's energy industry, namely oil and gas. The economy is also driven by aeronautics, health care services, transportation, and the production of oil field equiptment.

Climate and Physical Environment

Houston has a humid subtropical climate which makes for hot and humid summers with temperatures over 90 degrees. Houston does have a very high ozone level.

Winters are mild with the average January high at 63 degrees and the average January low 43 degrees.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Because Houston's population is composed of various ethnic and religious backgrounds, it is a large international community with many cultural institutions in it's Museum District.  Houston's Theater District offers all major performing arts.

Crime

Houston has a high crime rate when compared to the national average.

Medical facilities

Texas Medical Center, located in Houston is the world's largest concentration of research and healthcare facilities.  MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine are also in Houston.

Transportation

Houston is serviced by  the George Bush Intercontinental/Houston airport along with several smaller airports. Amtrak also services Houston.  Houston is average in walkability when compared to other cities.  Biking is a popular means of transportation in Houston. It is a biking community with 160 miles of bikeways and a very popular biking network. There is a  bicycle sharing system with many downtown stations.

Valuable Links

Houston