The Ultimate Guide to The Woodlands in Texas
If you’re thinking of moving to The Woodlands in Texas, then by now you’ve probably heard that it’s been named 
#1 Best City to Live in America for TWO years straight by Niche.com.
And that’s for good reason!
The Woodlands is an award-winning master planned community nestled in and around 28,000 
tree-filled acres, has charming neighborhoods and is one of the top 
shopping destinations in Texas!
From a quiet afternoon of 
kayaking to a fun night of 
live music, a 
hike through the woods to strolling 
The Waterway promenade, taking in a 
round of golf or posh shopping at Market Street — there are tons of top-tier amenities and globally-ranked venues tucked inside a canopy of trees with parks, hike and 
bike trails, and nature all around.
The Woodlands Texas Location
The Woodlands in Texas is located in Montgomery County, Texas, about 30 miles north of Houston, straight up the I-45. This makes it the ideal location for professionals who need to commute to the city for work, but want to come home to a relaxing retreat away from the hustle and bustle.
The Woodlands is also just a short 20 minute drive from Lake Conroe, the areas premeir #lakelife location. Lake Conroe has a beautiful marina with restaurants and shopping, as well as fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming.
In addition to its central location, The Woodlands has become a hub for technology, business and medicine and many professionals who live here have no need to commute to Houston at all. In fact, many people end up commuting TO The Woodlands for work from Houston and the surrouding areas.
The central location of The Woodlands makes it a highly sought after place to live and visit, and is no doubt one of the main contributing factors into why it is consistently named one of the best places to live in America.
Things to Do in The Woodlands Texas
Market Street – luxury boutique shopping in an open-air main street atmosphere, featuring some of the most beloved retail brands like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, Vineyard Vines, and lululemon, to name a few.
Lake Woodlands – The Woodlands is known as an oasis on the water surrounded by the woods, and Lake Woodlands is the best spot to experience it firsthand. Featuring entertainment, lakeside dining, kayak and stand-up paddleboard, swan boats and more.
Golf & Disc Golf – From disc golf with the family or a serious round of PGA approved golf with the gang, The Woodlands area has SEVEN championship golf courses to fulfill all of your golf needs. Of course, all nestled amongst towering, beautiful trees!
🎸The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Consistently ranked as one of the “Top 10 Outdoor Amphitheaters in the World”, performers have included Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Kenny Chesney, as well as symphonies, operas and ballets.
🎾Tennis & Fitness Community – With over 75 tennis courts nestled within the different villages and neighborhoods, The Woodlands has a vibrant tennis community and is a very health minded population.
Swan Boats – Enjoy a fun afternoon pedaling down The Woodlands Waterway on a swan boat, stand-up paddleboard, kayak, water bike, tandem pedal kayak, or elliptical stand-up paddle board!
Town Green Park – a four-acre green space that features a large beautiful green lawn the length of two football fields that hosts some of the largest events in The Woodlands like the Red, Hot & Blue Festival & Fireworks Extravaganza for the 4th of July and is just beautiful at Christmastime all lit up 🎄🎄🎄.
🛝The Woodlands has 150 Parks! – Town Green Park is great for large gatherings and events, but there are close to 150 parks sprinkled throughout The Woodlands for picnicking, playing and relaxing. In fact, you’re never more than 2-3 minutes away from a park no matter where you are in The Woodlands, making impromptu picnics and play dates a breeze.
Home Prices in The Woodlands Texas
*Fun fact: Did you know there are NO HOA fees in The Woodlands? Instead, you pay an annual Township tax (as part of your property tax).
Browse homes in The Woodlands Texas
Home prices in The Woodlands start at about $300,000 and go up into the multi-millions, with the median home price as of this writing is $595,000 (2022).
>>> See the latest market stats and homes for sale in The Woodlands here.
Most of the development in The Woodlands was completed in 2018, so you won’t find any new construction homes there. But many of the older homes have been beautifully remodeled and feel very modern!
(If you are looking for new construction but still want the feel of The Woodlands, albeit a bit more rural, check out The Woodlands Hills… this is the “sister” master-planned community about 15 mintutes north of The Woodlands, and right next to Lake Conroe).
The Nine Villages of The Woodlands Texas
(This Googla Maps link shows where all of the Villages of The Woodlands are located, along with the many parks, pools, trails and spraygrounds).
The Woodlands is a Township comprised of nine different “villages”, each with its own character and charm, but all covered in trees and abounding with trails and parks, and within minutes to all of the amenities The Woodlands has to offer.
Living anywhere in The Woodlands Township also grants you access to the many pools, parks, trails and amenities that can be found there.
Here is an overview of each village, listed from oldest (first opened) to newest:
- Village of Grogan’s Mill ($399,000 median sales price)
This is the first and oldest village of The Woodlands, and kicked off the grand opening for homes in this master-planned community in 1974. Grogan’s Mill is home to The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center, The Woodlands Country Club Oaks Clubhouse, a golf course, and many parks and trails. You can find quaint affordable older homes starting in the high-$200s as well as newer estate homes topping out near $5 Million. This village is at “the front of The Woodlands”, meaning it is the closest to the 45 freeway.
Grogan’s Mill is zoned to College Park High School.
🏡 Browse Homes in Grogan’s Mill Village - The Village of Panther Creek ($561,000 median sales price)
Panther Creek homes were build from 1979-2005. This village has a nice creek running through it (hence the name), and is located on the shore of Lake Woodlands, as well as within walking or biking distance to the Town Center and Northshore Park. It is also home to some of the more desired neighborhoods such as West Isle, The Cove, Splitrock, and Windward Cove, many of which feature lakefront mansions. Although one of the older villages in The Woodlands, Panther Creek is desirable due to its central location and wide range of home options. Home prices range from the high-$200s to $6M+.
Panther Creek is zoned partially to College Park High School and partially to The Woodlands High School, so check each listing carefully for school zoning if this is important to you.
🏡 Browse Homes in Panther Creek Village - Cochran’s Crossing ($550,000 median sales price)
Known by residents as “The Happy Village,” this village is home to The Woodlands County Club, Palmer Golf Course, The Woodlands Recreation Center, one public swimming pool and of course, tons of trees and trails. Cochran’s Crossing is the most central village in The Woodlands, with easy access to the front or the back of the community. Homes here range from the high-$200s to about $4M at the high end.
Like Panther Creek, Cochran’s Crossing is zoned to both high schools in The Woodlands, depending on where exactly you live in the village.
🏡 Browse Homes in Cochran’s Crossing Village - Village of Indian Springs ($535,000 median sales price)
With homes built from 1984 to 2004, this is the smallest of the nine villages in The Woodlands, and is known for its secluded feel and custom homes. The Village of Indian Springs is the only village in The Woodlands with actual hills, which is quite a refreshing change of topography if you spend the day driving around The Woodlands! There is a dedicated shopping center with an HEB, Trader Joe’s, Chili’s and lots of smaller shops as well. Homes in Indian Springs range from about $300s on the low end to about $2M on the high end.
Indian Springs is zoned to The Woodlands High School.
🏡 Browse Homes in Indian Springs Village - The Village of Alden Bridge ($499,000 median sales price)
This is one of the largest villages in The Woodlands Township and has a beautiful bridge as its focal point. It is also home to the Alden Bridge Pool and Park, which has a play park, bbq pits, baby and adult pool with water slides, and of course plenty of green space and trees. There are two major shopping centers here, as well as convenient access to 1488 which goes out towards Magnolia. Homes in Alden bridge were built between 1983-2004, and range from about the $350s to $1M-ish.
Like a few of the other villages, depending on where you live in Alden Bridge, you may be zoned to either of the two high schools.
🏡 Browse Homes in Alden Bridge Village - The Woodlands Town Center
The Town Center is unique among the villages, as it is the entertainment hub and brings an urban feel and is the “downtown” of The Woodlands. It has tons of shopping, restaurants, and entertainment along with lofts and condos, as well as a complimentary Trolley that runs through the area. This is where you’ll find The Waterway, The Woodlands Mall, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and Market Street with tons of fine dining and more upscale shopping.
🏡 Browse Lofts & Townhomes in Town Center
East Shore in The Woodlands
East Shore isn’t technically a separate village in The Woodlands, as it bumps right up against Town Center and is a very small and more exclusive area, with most homes in the $1M-$6M range. If being in the heart of the action is what you’re looking for, East Shore in The Woodlands should definitely be on your radar.
🏡 Browse Homes in East Shore
All homes in the Town Center area are zoned to College Park High School. - The Village of College Park ($360,000 median sales price)
This village is named after its location near Lone Star College and the University Center, and is also very close to The Woodlands Mall. It is the only area of The Woodlands that has part of the neighborhood located on the east side of I-45 and is comprised of two major neighborhoods: Harper’s Landing and Windsor Hills. You’ll find all of your “big box” shopping in College Park, including Costco, Walmart, and Lowes. Homes here have a smaller price range, with most falling between $350s to $650s.
All homes in College Park are zoned to College Park High School. (Bet you could’ve guessed that, haha).
🏡 Browse Homes in College Park Village (Harper’s Landing & Windsor Hills) - The Village of Sterling Ridge ($705,000 median sales price)
This village is on the western end of The Woodlands and home to the much loved Gary Player Golf Course. It opened in 1999, on the 25th anniversary of the opening of The Woodlands, and the village also surrounds the upscale Carlton Woods neighborhood (see below). Sterling Ridge is considered one of the “nicer villages”, with homes built between 2001 and 2018, with most ranging from $500s-$2M+.
Sterling Ridge is zoned to The Woodlands High School.
🏡 Browse Homes in Sterling Ridge Village - Village of Creekside Park ($735,000 median sales price)
This is the newest village in The Woodlands, with homes being built from 2007-2021. While you will find the newest homes in The Woodlands here in Creekside Park, you will also notice a different “feel”, as it is not nearly as dense with trees as the rest of The Woodlands. Though, still many more trees than most other areas in Houston! Creekside Park is the only village of The Woodlands that is located in Harris County (the rest of The Woodlands is in Montgomery County), and is also served by the Tomball School District rather than Conroe School District.
It is also home to the Carlton Woods neighborhood, which although located in The Woodlands, is an exclusive gated neighborhood with its own Association dues where you will find many million dollar and multi-million dollar estates.
🏡 Browse Homes in Creekside Park Village
🏡 Browse Homes exclusively in Carlton Woods
Schools in The Woodlands Texas
Schools in The Woodlands are kind of a big deal. So much so that it’s rare to have a conversation about The Woodlands without someone bringing up the schools – especially the high schools, which are very highly rated and have such incredible extracurricular programs.
In fact, many families who are relocating to Texas from out of state specifically choose The Woodlands for the schools alone! Most schools in The Woodlands Texas are A-rated on Niche.com and have received many accolades and awards over the years.
There are 14 Elementary Schools and 8 Middle Schools.
The two main high schools are The Woodlands High Schools and The Woodlands College Park High School, both very highly rated and within Conroe ISD.
Best Hotels in The Woodlands Texas
If you’re thinking of moving to The Woodlands in Texas and you’re not local, you’ll likely want to visit first and check out the neighborhoods and amenities.
It’s hard to put a finger on the best hotels in The Woodlands, but here are some of my favorites and the most highly rated for every budget:
The Woodlands Resort (pictured above)
This hotel is a destination in and of itself, and many people come and vacation here just for this! The resort stretches across 350 lush acres and is famous for its Forest Oasis waterpark surrounded by woods and waterways, golf courses and conference center. It’s a great destination for families as well, and just 2 miles from The Woodlands Town Center.
Price: $300 – $550 per night (check pricing and availability here)
The Embassy Suites at Hughes Landing
I always love Embassy Suites for their incredible complimentary bar and breakfast, and the rooms and staff are great as well. The Embassy Suites in The Woodlands is located right next to Lake Woodlands and is walking distance to several restaurants.
Price: $200 – $350 per night (check pricing and availability here)
Spring Hill Suites by Marriot
Located about 4 miles north of The Woodlands Town Center, this is a budget friendly option that has nearly 400 4.5-star reviews on Trip Advisor and includes free breakfast.
Price: $99 – $150 per night (check pricing and availability here)
There are many more options for luxury, mid-range and budget hotels in The Woodlands, but these are my faves in each price range.
Want More Information on Where to Live in The Woodlands Texas?
You can reach out to me anytime (see below), as I love helping people relocate to this beautiful area! I frequently do virtual showings for my out-of-state clients, and love to show you around once you visit!
🏡 Browse all homes in The Woodlands Texas
To get in touch with me with questions or for help moving to The Woodlands or the North Houston area, simply send me a message, call/text me at (936) 337-3069, or fill out this contact form: https://candisintexas.com/houston-realtors
Need help with your home search?
Hi! My name is Candis Hidalgo and I am a licensed Texas REALTOR® serving the Houston metro area. If you would like help with your home search or relocation – or just have a question – please reach out! I’m a “no pressure” agent and happy to help.
📞 Call/Text: (805) 801-1479
📩 Email: candisintexas@gmail.com
**Disclaimer: Not affiliated with or endorsed by THE WOODLANDS HILLS® development, THE WOODLANDS® development, or The Woodlands Land Development Company, L.P. THE WOODLANDS HILLS and THE WOODLANDS are trademarks of The Woodlands Land Development Company, L.P., Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office..
