Thinking of relocating to Houston, TX? Make sure you’re prepared for everything that comes with a new home & a new city!
When it comes to moving to a new city, it’s so important to have a smooth and easy transition. It can make all the difference when trying to acclimate to a new home. From discovering where to eat to where to spend a weekend, you’ll want to learn as much about Houston as possible before moving here. Luckily, we’re here to help!
There are so many wonderful things to love about the Greater Houston area, and this guide is full of important links, city details, local recommendations, and more to help your move to Houston be successful. But, if you want even more helpful information on Houston, Texas, download our full city guide for free here.
Why Should You Move to Houston?
If you ask us, everything about this city is amazing! We might be a little biased though. So, if you’re considering a move to HTX but aren’t sure if it’s right for you, here are the top 5 reasons why Houston is one of the best cities to live in!
- Diversity: Houston is one of the most diverse cities in America—there are so many cultures and types of people here, it will start to feel like home in no time!
- Mild Winters: Houston winters are pretty warm compared to other parts of the country. You won’t have to worry about snow storms, wearing five layers just to walk the dog, or dangerous conditions like black ice.
- Job Market: Houston is quickly becoming the “place to headquarter” for several industries—the career opportunities are only growing!
- Food Scene: With great diversity comes great eats…The Houston food options are almost unmatched and constantly expanding.
- Cost of Living: The combination of no state income tax and lower house prices make the cost of living in Houston much more affordable than other large cities.
Get even more details about why we love Houston here!
If you’re still wondering “Should I move to Houston?” check out these 9 important things to consider before making your decision!
Annual Events in Houston
Houston has tons of incredible events throughout the entire year for residents of all ages...plenty of them are free, too! Here are some of the “can’t miss” yearly events in the Greater Houston area each month.
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January: Chevron Houston Marathon — Held on the 3rd Sunday of January.
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February: Mardi Gras! Galveston — Held during the two weeks preceding Lent.
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March: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo — A 20-day agricultural promotion held at NRG Park.
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April: U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship — Held at the River Oaks Country Club.
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May: Comicpalooza — Held every Memorial Day Weekend.
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June: Houston Pride Celebration — Held the last Saturday of June to end Houston Pride Month.
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July: Freedom Over Texas — Held every 4th of July in Downtown Houston.
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August: White Linen Night — Held in the Heights on the first Saturday night of August.
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September: Houston Restaurant Weeks — A fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank ending on Labor Day Weekend.
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October: Texas Renaissance Faire — Held every weekend starting in October through the end of the year.
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November: Thanksgiving Day Parade — Held in Downtown Houston every Thanksgiving morning.
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December: Houston Zoo Lights — A Christmas light show and exhibition held at the Houston Zoo.
Fun Facts About Houston
How much do you know about Houston? If you’re thinking about relocating to Houston, you probably already know the basic facts—it’s the fourth largest city in the United States, its oil and gas industry is huge, and some of hip-hop’s biggest names came from its streets. But there are so many more interesting things about Houston! Here are 5 fun facts about HTX.
- There are more than 145 languages spoken by Houstonians.
- The Texas Medical Center (near Downtown Houston) is the world's largest medical center complex.
- The Houston Galleria is the largest mall in Texas.
- Houston gets more annual rainfall than Seattle.
- Houston has four of the top 50 largest parks in the U.S.
Like we said, there are so many cool things about this city, discover more fun facts about Houston, Texas here!
Houston Climate
The climate in Houston, Texas is classified as “humid subtropical”, and is characterized by hot summers, mild winters, and high humidity levels throughout the year.
Unfortunately, the average temperature during the summer ranges in the high 90s°F (30-35°C). However, Houston winter temperatures usually range from the low 60s to low 70s°F (12-18°C).
HTX also receives a significant amount of rainfall every year, primarily from late spring to early fall. This coupled with higher temps can result in some pretty uncomfortable, humid days during the summer months. But the mild (somewhat drier) winters make for a very comfortable season!
Houston Jobs
From energy and life sciences to manufacturing and aerospace, the Greater Houston area offers a dynamic infrastructure of core industries. Not only is Houston’s job market thriving, it’s growing! Here are some of the top job industries helping residents make their careers in Houston, TX.
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Advanced Manufacturing
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Energy
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Aerospace & Aviation
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Digital Tech
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Transportation & Logistics
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Life Science & Bio Technology
How to Make Friends in Houston
One of the most common negative comments we hear from people who are new to Houston is that it’s so hard to make new friends because it’s so large. However, southern hospitality is king around town, and there are plenty of ways to meet people! These are some of the most successful ways to make friends in Houston.
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Volunteer with community or local organizations
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Join a local gym and sign up for exercise classes
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Take your dog to one of the many dog parks
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Join a professional networking group
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Attend social events for your job or neighborhood
Houston Museums
If you don’t think of Houston among some of the top places when you think about cultural scenes, you’re doing yourself (and the city) a great injustice! HTX is quickly becoming a top destination for art enthusiasts from all over the world. Here are some of the best Houston museums and art galleries:
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Museum of Health & Medical Science
- Houston Museum of Natural Science
- Children's Museum Houston
- Space Center Houston
- The Houston Zoo
Check out our full guide to all the museums, art centers, and theaters in Houston, Texas, here.
Houston Dining Options
One of the best things about Houston is all the incredible food it has to offer. Whatever you’re in the mood for—a fancy feast or a casual grab-n-go—there’s something for you to eat! Here are some of our favorite local places to eat in Houston.
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Coffee: There are so many great local coffee shops in Houston, we couldn’t just pick one! Check out our picks for the 5 best coffee shops.
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Breakfast & Brunch: The Breakfast Klub
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Barbecue: The Pit Room is our top choice right now, but check out our other fav bbq pits in Houston!
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Tex-Mex: Valencia’s Tex-Mex Garage
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Margarita: There’s nothing better than a cold marg on a hot Houston day…check out all of our fav places to get a margarita here.
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Sushi: Himari’s Sushi
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Fine Dining: Mala Sichuan Bistro
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Kids Eat Free: Looking for somewhere to eat with kids? No problem, These are the restaurants in Houston where kids eat free!
Pet-Friendly Houston
Houstonians love their pets so, of course, businesses do too! Whether you're looking for a place to let your furry friend run free, socialize with other dogs, or simply join you on your next outing, there are plenty of pet-friendly places and events around Houston.
Pet-Friendly Places in Houston:
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Barnaby's Cafe — A casual eatery where all pets are welcome to join their humans for a bite!
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Kirby Ice House — A fun ice house with a spacious patio where any pet would love to hang out with their favorite human.
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Three Dog Bakery — A local bakery serving up homemade treats and goodies just for our four-legged friends!
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K9 Resorts of Houston — A “home away from home” for our fur babies whenever needed.
Pet Events
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Pup Crawl & Pet Expo — A fundraising event benefiting Houston’s animal shelter, BARC.
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Puptopia Houston — An event & expo centered around dogs purely for their enjoyment.
Dog Parks
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See all our recommendations for the best dog parks in Houston here.
Houston is a huge city for sure, but we hope this helps your transition go a little faster and that you can easily call it “home”. There are so many fun things to do and see in HTX—we couldn’t even list them all here! But you can download our full Houston Relocation Guide for free here.
And if you’re looking to move to Houston, we would love to help you find a new home! Contact us to get started today.
Alexis Feezel is a results-oriented Marketing Coordinator responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing all promotional strategies and activities to effectively market clients & listings and maximize sales.