Aldine or Katy (Houston, Austin, Sugar Land: middle-class, crime, houses)

[carolineinMN]

Hello everyone!

My husband and I along with our two children will be moving to the Houston area in May. We are currently living in Minneapolis. We have narrowed our search and are considering two areas: Aldine and Katy. We liked both of the communities equally but have one major issue: commute.

My husband will be commuting into downtown Houston. I am aware that Aldine is slightly closer than Katy but how is the commute with traffic? A friend of ours that used to live in Houston said that traffic coming from the north is worse than traffic coming from the west on I-10. Is that still true?

Just as a side note, you guys sure have some crazy drivers in Houston! While we were looking at houses last weekend, we couldn't beleive how fast and aggressively people drive there... here in Minneapolis, most everyone drives around the speed limit and people look at you like you're crazy if you drive 5 or 10 mph over the speed limit... I guess we'll just have to learn how to push the gas pedal a little harder when we move to Houston

Thanks in advance for the information!

[Vicman]

The Katy area (places with Katy addresses, including the actual city of Katy) attracts suburban middle and upper class students.

Aldine does not. Aldine ISD is older suburb and is suffering from "ring rot."

[Nanner]

Aldine has declined quite a bit. It was once a decent area, until development continued to move outward to further suburbs. Katy is a much more middle-class/upper-class suburb, with better schools. Of course, there's a lot more taxation, too, but that's what you'll get in the nice suburbs.

BUT, as far as traffic is concerned, commuting from the north on Hwy 59 is heaven compared to the commute from the west on I-10. 59N was expanded several years ago, so it's one of the few freeways in town that doesn't get an excessive amount of congestion. I-10 is a mess. It's in the process of being expanded (should be finished in about a year or so), but there's so much development out that way, I'm afraid even the expansion won't be sufficient. That's just my feeling, though.

ETA: If you want to stay along 59N, but be in a nice suburb, I might suggest you check out Kingwood. It's kind of far out there, but with the 59 expansion, the downtown commute isn't bad.

[940]

I don't live in Houston but have spent much time there on and off through the years and I have a lot of family all over with some living in Kingwood and Atascocita. We were just there last month and actually made it from Kingwood Dr to downtown Houston in 20-25 minutes down 59. The schools in Kingwood or Atascocita are good too (Kingwood High or new Atascocita High)...Katy is very nice but as a few have said on here, the traffic can be a bear on I-10.

[AK123]

Katy is nice but you'll drive yourself nuts having to do a downtown commute from there.

Are there any other areas you're considering? What about Sugar Land or Pearland? Look at Kingwood too.

Yep, if you don't drive 8-10mph over the speed limit on the larger roads in Houston, you'll get run over. Just the way it is here, sorry!

[Mr. Football]

Echo what was said about Aldine, unless your kids are looking to hook up with the local gang of course.

[carolineinMN]

Actually, we did look at Sugar Land and liked the area fairly well. After reading the posts here, I am starting to think that Katy is just too far from downtown. Does anyone know how the schools in Sugar Land are? Thank you everyone, you have been very helpful!

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by carolineinMN

Actually, we did look at Sugar Land and liked the area fairly well. After reading the posts here, I am starting to think that Katy is just too far from downtown. Does anyone know how the schools in Sugar Land are? Thank you everyone, you have been very helpful!

The Fort Bend ISD schools in Sugar Land are well-renowned.

The FBISD high schools serving Sugar Land:
* Austin (NOT to be confused with Houston ISD's Austin High School)
* Clements
* Dulles
* Elkins (in Missouri City)
* Kempner

All schools are considered to be good - Clements is thought of as the best out of the five!

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a good school in Sugar Land - Use www.greatschools.net as a source

[armywifeinboxers]

in 1980, we moved to Aldine from Oregon. And even then it was inner city slum-ish, we moved North to Spring and the Woodlands area. in 1996, I moved to Conroe to get away from the ever growing crime and gangs. Katy is nice country living, it is a difficult commute - especially with I-10 traffic. Yuck! I'm glad I don't have to put up with that any more - live in South Carolina until the Army moves us again.

[katyfamily]

We live in Katy and make it to downtown in about 25 minutes using the Westpark Tollroad to Hwy. 59. Plus, with the I-10 explansion complete out here, I don't find I-10 that bad anymore.