Greater Houston’s El Lago community is one of the best places in Texas to buy a house, according to a new report from Niche.
The rating website made its decision after weighing more than a dozen data points, which included measures of housing affordability, school quality and safety, among others. El Lago scored well across the board, with low monthly housing costs and top-rated schools, earning the small suburb the No. 7 spot on Niche’s list.
El Lago was the only Greater Houston community featured in the state’s top 10. However, in the top 20, there were three additional suburbs mentioned, including Oak Ridge North (No. 11), Clear Lake Shores (No. 12) and Taylor Lake Village (No. 17). See how they all stack up in our table below:
| City | Home Value to Income Ratio | Monthly Housing Cost | Public School Grade | Median Effective Property Tax* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchaca | 2.7 : 1 | $822 | A | 0.75% |
| Hudson Bend | 3.1 : 1 | $1,233 | A+ | 1.50% |
| Willow Park | 2.4 : 1 | $1,535 | A+ | 2.18% |
| Allen | 2 : 1 | $1,640 | A+ | 2.28% |
| Plano | 2.7 : 1 | $1,349 | A+ | 1.93% |
| Woodway | 2.3 : 1 | $1,169 | A | 1.82% |
| El Lago | 2 : 1 | $1,157 | A+ | 1.96% |
| Hewitt | 2 : 1 | $1,066 | A+ | 1.91% |
| Roanoke | 2.4 : 1 | $1,140 | A+ | 1.81% |
| Aledo | 1.8 : 1 | $1,313 | A+ | 2.23% |
| Oak Ridge North | 1.8 : 1 | $1,150 | A | 1.97% |
| Clear Lake Shores | 2.4 : 1 | $1,390 | A+ | 1.80% |
| Rollingwood | 4.5 : 1 | $2,439 | A+ | 1.38% |
| Coppell | 2.6 : 1 | $1,683 | A+ | 2.30% |
| Frisco | 2.3 : 1 | $1,798 | A+ | 2.08% |
| Hollywood Park | 3.2 : 1 | $1,084 | A | 2.06% |
| Taylor Lake Village | 1.5 : 1 | $1,612 | A+ | 2.19% |
| Hackberry | 1.8 : 1 | $1,372 | B+ | 1.88% |
| Wilmer | 1.9 : 1 | $598 | B+ | 1.01% |
| Annetta | 2.2 : 1 | $1,699 | A+ | 1.74% |
| *The percent of the median property taxes paid on homes over the median home value. |