Clute / Lake Jackson area questions (Houston, Sugar Land: to rent, house, safe area) - City-Data Forum

lalabear · 01-06-2011, 10:06 AM

A little background: We are looking to move our family out of Southern California, so my husband has been looking for jobs all over the country. There is a company in Clute that is very interested, so we are trying to figure out if this area is someplace that we would be happy living. I had my heart set on Colorado, and my husband was hoping for someplace on the south-eastern coast. But we need to go where the money is.

If he accepts the job, most of his working time would be spent in Clute, and doesn't want to commute more than a half hour or so. We are looking for a family-friendly, safe area to raise our kids. Schools are definitely important, although we haven't decided if we want to send them to public or private school when we move. I guess it just depends on the area. I would love to find a smaller town with a community feel. We are planning to rent for at least 2 years, and we want to find a house (3bed/2bath) for under $1200mo.

Are there any smaller towns or suburbs in the area that at least partly meet our wishlist?? Any info about Clute/Lake Jackson and the surrounding areas would be greatly appreciated.

DanielWayne · 01-06-2011, 11:45 AM

I'm not too familiar with the area as I have only driven through it, and it is 50 miles from where I live now. But I always read and heard that Lake Jackson was a good place to live. It has a much higher median income than most other towns it's size due to it's large chemical plant industry. Looked pretty nice to me driving through it. Kinda looked like a Houston suburb with lots of shopping centers and nice neighborhoods. Clute looked more worn down. Personally I would try to live in the Lake Jackson area as it is a looong boring drive to get back into Houston or even Pearland (more than 1/2 hour easily). Maybe somebody from that area will chime in with more details.

lalabear · 01-06-2011, 12:00 PM

Thank you for your reply.

I noticed that it does have a "higher median income" and I'm wondering if this translates to snobby, pretentious people? I don't want to live in a city with a high percentage of poverty & crime, but I am so tired of living with rich people too. (This is the basic choice in my current area.) I'm hoping to find a more down-to-earth kind of community, where it doesn't matter if you buy all your clothes at Walmart and you drive a 12 year old chevy.

Does anyone know anything about Danbury?

Oildog · 01-06-2011, 02:20 PM

Parts of Lake Jackson are dry, and the economy there largely depends on the fortunes of Dow Chemical.

lalabear · 01-06-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oildog

and the economy there largely depends on the fortunes of Dow Chemical.

I've read that in other posts, but I'm not sure what that would mean for daily life. I've always lived in big cities that weren't dependant on one company, so that does make me nervous. But at the same time, I don't want to live in a big city anymore. I would assume (and maybe falsely) that all smaller cities and towns need to have a company or industry supporting them. Is being dependant on Dow Chemical a bad thing? They have been around for awhile, and seem to be a mostly stable company.

Oildog · 01-07-2011, 03:58 PM

Well its next to the water so there is a bit of shipping and fishing to mix the economy. Yes, Dow is stable.

Wendy E · 05-24-2011, 01:06 PM

Our family is relocating and trying to find a great place to raise our son with good schools and a great soccer program. My husband will be working in Bay City and we are trying to have 60min or less for commute. We have heard some postive info on Sugarland and Missouri City.
Let me know what you find out and I will do the same.
Thanks

AlfredB1979 · 05-26-2011, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wendy E

Our family is relocating and trying to find a great place to raise our son with good schools and a great soccer program. My husband will be working in Bay City and we are trying to have 60min or less for commute. We have heard some postive info on Sugarland and Missouri City.
Let me know what you find out and I will do the same.
Thanks

Easy now...if hubby is working in Bay City, you best stick to Matagorda County or the back side of Brazoria County passed Sweeney or thereabouts to keep things simple.

I used to drive from Alvin down to Freeport to work and it was an hour(ish) on average without traffic.

Angleton sits along HWY 35 and would be workable, but that's as far as I would stretch that drive coming from Houston.

Wharton and El Campo are a relatively straight shot off of 59, but I don't know as much about them.

DanielWayne · 05-26-2011, 07:02 AM

I agree with Alfred. If part of that 60 minute commute involves traffic from 59 in Sugar Land, then one of you is going to be miserable. You will have to hit the traffic window just right, every day, or your commute could stretch out further. I live in and recently worked in Clear Lake, and 4 of my coworkers commuted from Sugar Land. Which is a SHORTER commute than Sugar Land to Bay City.

BCEagles01 · 05-26-2011, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lalabear

A little background: We are looking to move our family out of Southern California, so my husband has been looking for jobs all over the country. There is a company in Clute that is very interested, so we are trying to figure out if this area is someplace that we would be happy living. I had my heart set on Colorado, and my husband was hoping for someplace on the south-eastern coast. But we need to go where the money is.

If he accepts the job, most of his working time would be spent in Clute, and doesn't want to commute more than a half hour or so. We are looking for a family-friendly, safe area to raise our kids. Schools are definitely important, although we haven't decided if we want to send them to public or private school when we move. I guess it just depends on the area. I would love to find a smaller town with a community feel. We are planning to rent for at least 2 years, and we want to find a house (3bed/2bath) for under $1200mo.

Are there any smaller towns or suburbs in the area that at least partly meet our wishlist?? Any info about Clute/Lake Jackson and the surrounding areas would be greatly appreciated.

Wow So Cal ? Where' bouts ? I have friends all over Cali,so cal included.

Anyhow,I'm a native Bostonian,but finished my last two years of high school in the freeport/clute/Lake Jackson area.

Lake Jackson is the biggest of all of them,and has the most things to do. But the truth is there is nothing to do there. The Mall...you could walk it in about 20 minutes.

The closest suburbs are going to be Sugarland and I don't know much about Sugarland. Laker Jackson is about a solid hour drive south of Houston. 52-56 miles. The school district is Brazosport Independent. Coming from Cali, I'm going to say Brazoswood High may be more in line with something in suburban so cal. Or the closest.

Good luck with everything. Your husband must be with BASF or Dow. Dow being the biggest around there. That whole area is pretty much dependent on those plants.