Destination Houston: Your Guide to Relocating to this South Texas Gem

Will your next home be in or close to Houston, Texas? Let All My Sons Moving & Storage share how to settle into this thriving southern city.

Located in the southeastern region of Texas about 50 miles from the gulf coast, Houston sits primarily in Harris County. With about 2.4 million residents and counting, Houston is the most populated city in Texas and the 4^th most populated city in the United States. Home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center and headquarters to 28 different Fortune 500 companies including Exxon Mobil and Chevron, Houston is a prosperous city to settle down in. 

With no state income tax and a cost-of-living about 7% lower than the national average, residents of Houston enjoy more of their hard-earned cash.

No matter the reason you’re making your next home in Houston, All My Sons Moving & Storage would like to be the first to welcome you to the city. 

Houston experiences humid summers and mild winters. The hottest month of the year tends to be August, with average temperature reaching up to 95°F, and the coolest tends to be January, with an average low of 47°F. The absolute rock-bottom record low temperature in Houston was 5°F, in January of 1930. 

Safe to say, if you’re moving from further north, you might want to sell your snow shovel. That’s not to say you’ll never get snow in Houston, but you’d better be prepared to shelter in place when it does come. Houston, like much of Texas, is not well-equipped to handle the extreme cold. It is estimated that Winter Storm Uri (2021) caused between $80 and $130 billion dollars of infrastructure damage in Houston. 

Being only about an hour from the gulf coast, Houston may see tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes between June 1^st and November 30^th. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 dropped roughly 50 inches of rain across Houston, damaging and destroying many homes. While not formerly in Tornado Alley, Houston is not immune to tornado activity, especially during the hurricane season.

If you’re coming from further north, your move to Houston might be the time to invest in a breezy summer wardrobe and a sturdy insulated water bottle to keep hydrated. Houston is warm, humid, and occasionally rainy.

The Houston area is served by the METRO public transportation system, which operates three light rails and bus lines throughout Harris County. METROLift provides accessible paratransit services to help people with disabilities get to where they’re going.

If you’ll be taking the toll roads in Houston like the Sam Houston Tollway and Grand Parkway, you’ll want to log on to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) website and sign up for an EZ TAG. This prepaid tag enables you to pay the lowest toll rates, and it works through toll roads in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Florida and Colorado. 

If you are a frequent flyer, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) are the two major airports serving the Houston area.

If you’re moving for college or have students in your household gearing up for higher education, Houston has over 100 colleges and universities within the city.

Here are some of the most prominent colleges and universities found in the Houston area.

• Rice University: A private research university established in 1912. Ranked #1 for Best Colleges in Houston by U.S. News and World Report, Rice University has an undergraduate and graduate student population of roughly 8,400. 

• University of Houston: A public research university founded in 1927. Roughly 39,000 undergraduate students enrolled during the Fall 2024 semester.  

• Texas Southern University: A public historically black university with over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. About 8,400 diverse students enroll annually. 

• Houston City College: Formerly Houston Community College, this school is an open-admission public institution that offers affordable education and workforce training programs.

• University of Houston-Clear Lake: Located just minutes from NASA, this public university is part of the University of Houston system. Roughly 6,000 undergraduate students enroll every year.

Houston has seven different cultural districts, more than any other city in the nation. Every year, Houston hosts close to 21,000 concerts, performances, and other arts programs. If you’re a person who adores the arts, you’ll love exploring all that Houston has to offer.

• Alley Theatre: Entertaining since 1947, the Alley Theatre has won the Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre and the Texas Medal of Arts Award.

• Jones Hall: The home of the Houston Symphony, Jones Hall has been hosting performances since 1966.

• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: This art museum first opened in 1924 with 60 works of art. Today its collection has expanded to nearly 80,000 works, including photography, costumes, textiles, and works on paper.

• Buffalo Bayou Cistern: A decommissioned drinking water reservoir that now houses performances and art installations.

Ready for a weekend away from work or a night out on the town? Houston is bursting with world-class attractions that draw visitors from all over the globe. 

• Houston Museum of Natural Science: Established in 1909, this natural history museum features exhibits on  permanent exhibits on astronomy, Texas wildlife, and ancient Egypt.

• Houston Zoo: Home to over 6,000 animals, the Houston zoo is over 100 years old. Every first Tuesday of the month the zoo offers free admission (sponsored by Exxon Mobile) that must be reserved in advance.

• Space Center Houston: The Official Visitor Center of the NASA Johnson Space Center, this is a top destination in Houston. It contains immersive exhibits and over 400 space artifacts.

• Houston Botanic Garden: Houston plant-lovers rejoice, the Houston Botanic Garden is a 132-acre curated collection of tropical, sub-tropical, and arid plants from around the world. Family memberships for 2 adults and up to 4 children are just $100 for the year.

Sports fans will love rooting for the home teams in Houston. Whether you love football, baseball, soccer, or basketball, there’s a team waiting for you to discover them in Houston.

• Houston Astros (MLB): This major league baseball team has played from Daikin Park since March 2000, and they won the World Series in 2017 and 2022.

• Houston Texans (NFL): Founded in 2002, the Houston Texans are the newest NFL franchise. They play from NRG Stadium.

• Houston Rockets (NBA): Playing from the Toyota Center arena, the Houston Rockets have scored two NBA championships.

• Houston Dynamo FC (MLS): Professional soccer team playing from Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. 

• Houston Dash (NWSL): Competes in the National Women’s Soccer League and also plays from Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. 

If you’re looking for an urban oasis close to all the action happening in Houston, you’ll find a myriad of great neighborhoods available. Young professionals, empty-nester seniors, and singles can enjoy fun apartments, townhouses, condos, or lofts in the heart of the city.

• Downtown Houston: Get an easy commute to work and all things entertainment in the bustling center of Houston. Close to the Toyota Center, the nationally acclaimed Theatre District, and Discovery Green.

• East End (EaDo): East of downtown, this neighborhood is known for its cultural diversity. Vibrant murals color the streets, and entertainment venues play live music all through the week.

• Midtown: Enjoy one of the most walkable parts of Houston just south of downtown. Your weekends will be filled with movie nights at Bagby Park and drinks at Social Beer Garden HTX. 

• Greater Heights: Kick back in a Victorian-style home northwest of downtown. Enjoy the expansive green space at Bayou Greenways Park or take a look at what’s on display at the Redbud Arts Center.

• Montrose: An eccentric paradise west of downtown, Montrose is home to thrift and vintage shops like Out of the Closet and The Guild Shop. Find your spiritual center at Rothko Chapel, or go hiking and biking at Buffalo Bayou Park.

Looking to settle close to Houston, but not too close? The Houston metro area is home to a variety of cozy suburbs where it would be perfect to establish roots, raise a family, or retire. 

• The Woodlands: Roughly 30 miles north of Downtown Houston, this master-planned community sits primarily in Montgomery County. Enjoy entertainment at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion or head to The Woodlands Mall for an afternoon of shopping and dining.

• Sugar Land: About 22 miles southwest of Downtown Houston, Sugar Land has an estimated population of about 110,000 happy residents. Explore Sugar Land Town Square or take the kids to the Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center. 

• Katy: Sitting about 28 miles directly west of Downtown Houston, Katy is known for its excellent school districts and master-planned neighborhoods. Shop at the Artisan Craft Boutique, get the kids active at Dig World, or enjoy brunch at the Humble Grounds Coffeehouse. 

• Cypress: This unincorporated community in Harris County is 24 miles northwest of Downtown Houston. Roughly 208,000 people call Cypress home, and they enjoy great schools, outdoor recreation at Telge Park, and hands-on learning for the kiddos at Little Beakers Science Lab for Kids.

• League City: Want to live closer to the gulf coast? League City might be the ideal spot. Located primarily in Galveston County about 25 miles southeast of Downtown Houston, League City is the space for waterfront dining, boating, and fishing.

Live the Texas dream in Houston with help from your friendly local movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage. Our professional movers take great pride in our Texas roots, and we would be delighted to help you make your home in Houston. 

Give our licensed and insured Texas movers a try and we’ll craft a personalized moving plan that adapts to your unique needs.