Houston is a happening town. There are many great jobs and fantastic opportunities for those wanting to start a new business. Texas is a business-friendly state because there are no state income taxes. Tell that to Californians who pay up to 13% state income tax and this is why Houston appeals to new technology startups. They would rather locate in Houston, than the ultra-pricey Silicon Valley area in California.
What young professionals want in a neighborhood is plenty of great places to hang out with friends. They want the neighborhood to have superb coffee shops, great places to eat, and places to go for a drink to have a wild night out on the town.
Here are a few neighborhoods that young professionals like in Houston:
Astrodome Area
This area is a favorite for sports fans who want to have season tickets to all the games.
Downtown
Downtown is very active. It has everything that makes an urban lifestyle exciting and fun. There are the open spaces at the Discovery Green, business activities at the George R. Brown Convention Center, entertainment at the Minute Maid Park, and sport events held at the Toyota Center stadiums.
One popular trend is to convert empty office buildings to live/work spaces and sell the individual units as condominium lofts. Over the past three years, the people living in this area increased by about 10%.
Greater Third Ward
Texas Southern University is located in this area. Greater Third Ward is on the southeastern side of Houston. The population in this area is growing quickly. This area has a famous history dating from the civil rights movement. Activities in this neighborhood and investment in improving it by wealthy blacks had success in beating down racial discrimination as this neighborhood came into being a desirable place to live. Prices are reasonable and living in this area is fun because it has a dynamic energy.
Midtown
In Midtown, it is possible to live without a car. This area caters to pedestrians. It is near the major universities in Houston. There are several Metro stations, which makes it easy to use public transportation. Baldwin and Glover Parks are undergoing massive renovations to make the area more attractive to those who want to live near the heart of the city.
Montrose
This is a bohemian area in the western part of central Houston, which attracts plenty of artists and musicians. Prices are modest in this area. There are plenty of bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and many things to do for entertainment.
Washington Avenue/Memorial Park
This area is growing quickly and is very popular with younger adults. Those who are between twenty and thirty-four years old make up 40% of the population in this area. The unemployment rate is very low for those who live in this area.
Summary
The growing populations of young adults in these areas indicate that Houston has a great vibe. These areas attract many young professionals, because of the ability to get good jobs, the reasonable cost of living, and the modern lifestyle.