Highlands offers peaceful living near miles from Houston
Residents of Highlands, Texas, describe their community as peaceful, safe and affordable. Located about 20 miles east of Houston, Highlands offers a small-town feel and median home prices $150,000 below the national average. “You move there for the people and the sense of community,” says Monica Dedmon, team leader with Keller Williams Realty Northeast, who grew up in the area. “It’s a place where people know you.”
Highlands has a mix of older homes and newer subdivisions
Resting against the San Jacinto River, those looking to move here will discover a wealth of single-family homes built from the 1930s to present day. Styles range from clapboard cottages to one-level ranch homes to contemporary houses with two-car garages. The older neighborhoods typically feature sizeable lots of a quarter-acre adorned with mature oak and maple trees that are common to the area. While the newer subdivisions showcase suburban hallmarks such as sidewalk-lined streets and compact manicured lawns. “The median days-on-market is 26 days,” Dedmon says. “It’s still a pretty good market.”
The median list price in the area is $245,000. A 1,500-square-foot home could be found in the low-$200,000s and a more spacious riverfront property could cost over $1 million. Many homes on the water come with their own boat docks. Motorboating is a popular pastime here, but fishing and swimming aren’t advised due to pollution levels. “Prices are much lower than the national average,” Dedmon says. “The waterfront properties are the anomalies. They’re going to run anywhere from $400,000 to upwards of $1 million.”
Highlands students attend four schools with mixed Niche ratings
Public school students may attend Hopper Primary (prekindergarten and first grade), Highlands Elementary (second through fifth grade), Highlands Junior High and Goose Creek Memorial High. The junior high and high schools earn B Niche grades, while the primary and elementary schools score an A-minus and C-plus respectively. Home of the Patriots, students at the high school can take “dual credit classes” to earn college credits from Lee College while still in high school.
Recreation in Highlands includes parks and access to Baytown
For outdoor fun, locals can head to Stratford Park, on Stratford Street, to catch a Little League baseball game or Kaminski Park, on East Canal Road, to watch their kids frolic on the playground. Entertainment on a larger scale can be found in Houston, which is a straight shot from Highlands on Interstate 10 and in the city of Baytown, which is less than 10 miles away via Decker Drive. “You are right next to Baytown,” Dedmon says. “Baytown has much more in the way of shopping and activities. There are bowling and movie theaters. Highlands is good for a laid-back lifestyle and then conveniences are within 10 to 15 minutes.”
Local favorites serve pizza, coffee and Southern comfort food
Highlands residents can get their grocery shopping done at Food Town on North Main Street or grab a coffee at Crumbcakes Coffee House & Bakery on Jones Road. For dining out, try Napoli’s Italian Grill on South Main Street for king-sized slices of New York-style pizza and karaoke on Tuesday nights. “Napoli’s doesn’t look like much on the outside, but the food is excellent,” Dedmon says. Carla’s Snak Shak, also on South Main Street, is a local favorite for Southern comfort foods such as chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy. “The Snak Shak has been around since I was a kid,” Dedmon says. “That’s kind of a Highlands staple.”
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Brandon Fox
