Places to live around Houston, TX - Baytown (Austin, League City: 2014, renting)

[Thornbury150]

I am currently searching for school information for my family's upcoming move to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I realized that I would have loved to have some input when we moved to the Baytown, Texas area 6 years ago.

I would have loved to have recommendations on schools mainly, so I thought I would list this in hopes that it helps someone.

Currently, I live in Baytown and work in the Medical District. I stay off of I-10 and take 225 down around to the South Loop. The drive isn't horrid and takes me about 1 hour each way with traditional hours of 8 - 5pm, or about 45 minutes on days when I work off hours.

Baytown is a very nice, quiet and somewhat tight knit, family oriented town, but listen closely: DO NOT PUT YOUR KIDS IN GOOSE CREEK ISD! If you are moving to Baytown, make the move to make sure you are within the Barbers Hill ISD zoning (technically in Mont Belvieu City limits). This can get tricky and basically you will need to look East of 146 & I-10, North of 565 & 146 and North of Signal Pointe Road & 146 (exactly 1/2 a mile south on 146 from I-10).

Barbers Hill ISD not only offers tremendous sports for all ages, with many HS athletes getting scholarships to play at big Universities, they also have really good, strong, and advanced, well, Advanced Classes. The Principals interact extremely well with the kids, the entire staff just adores their jobs, and the District pays more, so people really do like their jobs all the way around.

The bad side to Barbers Hill is that these kids have grown up together. It's hard for an 'outsider' to come in at a higher grade. It is very much a "Friday Night Light's" type of town with everyone supporting the Eagles, and Royal Blue pasted everywhere.

If you are looking for some place to raise your small children, you can't beat this place. Home prices are higher within the BHISD district, but I think you will find it's worth it.

There's also a crazy good Pastor at Mont Belvieu Assembly of God, and I have heard that there are several good Baptist Churches and a really good Catholic church. Daycares on the main strip (Eagle Drive) are really good as well.

I hope that this helps at least one person. We happened to move half a block south of the BHISD line and my daughter goes to Goose Creek. So, this is a suggestion from someone who has been there, and worked for BHISD.

Cheers!

[amirelez]

Thanks for the info on Baytown because there isn't much info here on C D about it.

[Thornbury150]

It's still relatively small town, which is great. Don't get me wrong, we do have crime, but our Officers are pretty honest and want it all gone, so they are pretty quick to weed them out. I have really enjoyed it and am not looking overly forward to my relocation to Tennessee. I just know that I wished someone had posted about the schools in the area before I moved...would have gone ahead and bought in a different school district....ALTHO...Austin Elementary here in Baytown has been rated Excellent for like 8 of the last 10 years. It's an extremely good and gifted elementary.

[4-quick]

We moved from pa last year and we currently renting in Katy. We love Katy schools and master planned community. Since am working in Baytown I was trying to get closer. We like barber hills school but roads in monte belvieu are really narrow with no shoulder. Is mont belvieu a master planned community? And idea where to shop? Thanx for help.

[jdw7337]

Originally Posted by 4-quick

We moved from pa last year and we currently renting in Katy. We love Katy schools and master planned community. Since am working in Baytown I was trying to get closer. We like barber hills school but roads in monte belvieu are really narrow with no shoulder. Is mont belvieu a master planned community? And idea where to shop? Thanx for help.

Mont Belvieu isn't master planned, the city just looks so because the entire town had to moved when the nearby salt dome it once sat on top of was hallowed out. The city has the amenities of a master planned community if you get a membership at Eagle Pointe (web link: Eagle Pointe :: Home ) If you have to have those amenities as close as possible you will need to look at the brand new communities of Brookstone, Eagle Pointe Estates, & The Villages of Champions Gate. The city also has its brand new 70 acre park in about the center of town. I will give the fact that suburban roads are narrow though it's not really an issue once you get used to it and that is how almost all roads in Chambers County are if they aren't state roads. But the main road, Eagle Drive is far from narrow (if you haven't been to the town you'll find the main road has been transformed into an upscale style 4 lane Avenue. Shopping in Mont Belvieu is centered around mom & pop boutiques like The Blue Room & All About You. Your typical store shopping is available 15 minutes away on Garth Road in Baytown, but for a quality mall you will be traveling to Baybrook Mall or Deerbrook Mall because the local San Jacinto Mall is not really the best quality. Although Shopping is improving locally it may take a while, you'll need to look at the under construction Chambers Town Center ( http://www.newquest.com/Content/prop...TownCenter.pdf ) being built at Tx-146 & I-10 (where Mont Belvieu meets Baytown) to see what comes to the new shopping center currently we are guaranteed a Walmart (opening winter 2014),
City Website:
Mont Belvieu, TX - Official Website

[Schumacher713]

You are the first person in my life that has said Baytown is a nice place to live. Take a look at Pearland. Quick commute to the med center and a much nicer area.

[Neo45]

Why should he look at Pearland? People on here act like you're crazy if you dont live in 1 of the 10 designated safe and good CD places

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

You are the first person in my life that has said Baytown is a nice place to live. Take a look at Pearland. Quick commute to the med center and a much nicer area.

My boss is originally from Baytown, and he shares those same sentiments.

[Schumacher713]

Originally Posted by Neo45

Why should he look at Pearland? People on here act like you're crazy if you dont live in 1 of the 10 designated safe and good CD places

I think Pearland is a dump too, but it is a step above Baytown.

[sketteroo]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

I think Pearland is a dump too, but it is a step above Baytown.

Baytown and Pearland are BOTH dumps. Neither can compare to Friendswood and League City, which are the two nicest areas on the s/e side.