Living in The Woodlands, TX: A Relocation Guide
The Woodlands is a large master-planned community north of Houston along I-45, known for its forested villages, miles of pathways, and a busy Town Center with the Waterway, Market Street and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. It is not a city. It is governed by The Woodlands Township, a special-purpose district, and voters rejected incorporation in 2021. Most of it is in Conroe ISD, but two areas are not: Creekside Park (Tomball ISD) and the May Valley area of Sterling Ridge (Magnolia ISD). This guide covers the villages, schools, commutes, taxes, things to do, and the honest trade-offs.
Important: school zoning. In The Woodlands, the school district depends on the village, and within Conroe ISD the high school line splits several villages between The Woodlands High School and The Woodlands College Park High School. Before you write an offer, confirm the district and campuses for the exact address with Conroe ISD’s Find My School tool and feeder zone maps (or Tomball ISD’s or Magnolia ISD’s tools for those areas). Zoning described here is a starting point, not a guarantee.
The Woodlands at a glance
- Governance: The Woodlands Township, created in 2010 by merging the community associations and the Town Center Improvement District. It provides fire, parks and covenant enforcement, has a seven-member board, and is funded by property, sales and hotel taxes. Voter-approved agreements protect it from annexation, and on Nov. 2, 2021, voters rejected incorporating as a city.
- Population: about 124,800 (2025 estimate in the Township’s community facts, provided by Howard Hughes). The Census Bureau’s 2020 count for The Woodlands CDP was 114,436 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Homes: about 49,100 units (35,060 single-family), per the same community facts
- Main school district: Conroe ISD, rated B (85) for 2026, its third consecutive B
- High schools: The Woodlands High School (6101 Research Forest Dr., plus a 9th-grade campus on Branch Crossing Dr.) and The Woodlands College Park High School (3701 College Park Dr.)
- Parks and pathways: 151 parks and 220 miles of pathways
- Township office: 2801 Technology Forest Blvd., The Woodlands, TX 77381
The Woodlands is mostly in Montgomery County. Its newest village, Creekside Park, crosses Spring Creek into Harris County.
School highlights
Which school district serves The Woodlands?
According to the developer’s village tax sheet, residents of all areas except Creekside Park and May Valley are served by Conroe ISD.
- Conroe ISD: Alden Bridge, Cochran’s Crossing, College Park, East Shore, Grogan’s Mill, Indian Springs, Panther Creek, most of Sterling Ridge, Town Center, Windsor Hills and Windsor Lakes
- Tomball ISD: the Village of Creekside Park (Harris County). See the Tomball ISD guide and its Creekside Park overview.
- Magnolia ISD: May Valley, on the western edge of Sterling Ridge. Magnolia ISD’s 2025–26 subdivision list includes Sterling Ridge West (partial), Woodland Village Sterling Ridge and Del Webb The Woodlands, zoned to Ellisor Elementary, Bear Branch, and Magnolia High School. See the Magnolia guide.
Conroe ISD ratings. Conroe ISD earned an overall B (85) in the 2026 TEA ratings, its third consecutive B. Of 66 rated campuses, 22 earned an A, 26 a B, 11 a C, 5 a D and 2 an F. The district reports a 97.2% graduation rate. It covers 348 square miles, serves about 72,000 students (72,218 across 68 schools on TXschools.gov for 2025–26), and was established in 1892. Campus-level reports are on TXschools.gov. Ratings change every year, so check the current report for the campuses your address is zoned to.
The two Woodlands high school feeder zones (per Conroe ISD’s feeder zone pages):
- The Woodlands High School: McCullough Junior High; Mitchell and Wilkerson intermediates; Buckalew, Bush, Deretchin, Eissler, Galatas, Glen Loch, Powell and Tough elementaries.
- The Woodlands College Park High School: Knox Junior High; Collins and Wilkerson intermediates; Buckalew, David, Galatas, Glen Loch, Hailey, Houser, Lamar and Powell elementaries, among others. A local brokerage guide notes College Park is home to Conroe ISD’s Academy of Science & Technology.
What this means for buyers: several elementary and intermediate schools feed both high schools, and local guides say the line runs through Grogan’s Mill, Cochran’s Crossing, Indian Springs and Sterling Ridge. The street, not the village name, decides the high school.
Villages and neighborhoods of The Woodlands
The Woodlands is organized into villages, each with its own village center, parks and pools. The utility district (MUD) and therefore the total tax rate can change within a village. The rates below are 2026 rates from the Montgomery County Tax Office; the MUD assignments come from the developer’s 2025 village tax sheet.
Grogan’s Mill
An established village close to Town Center. It is split among MUDs 1, 6, 36 and 46, giving 2026 all-in rates of about $1.72 to $1.83 per $100.
Panther Creek, Cochran’s Crossing and Indian Springs
Established villages with their own village centers. Panther Creek is in MUDs 1 and 60; Cochran’s Crossing in MUDs 7, 47, 60 and 67; Indian Springs in MUD 60. 2026 all-in rates run about $1.72 to $1.81.
Alden Bridge
A village in MUDs 46, 47 and 67 (about $1.79 to $1.83 for 2026).
College Park
Includes Harper’s Landing (MUD 39, about $1.89) and Grogan’s Forest. The section of Grogan’s Forest east of Grogan’s Mill Road pays no MUD or Township tax but pays City of Shenandoah tax ($0.1849 for 2026) and ESD 4 ($0.10), for about $1.77.
Sterling Ridge (and May Valley)
A west-side village in MUD 46 (about $1.83 for 2026, Conroe ISD). The May Valley area pays Magnolia ISD instead of Conroe ISD and is in MUD 46 or Harris-Montgomery Counties MUD 386 (MUD 386’s 2026 rate was not posted yet; it was $0.43 for 2025).
Town Center and East Shore
The urban core around the Waterway, Market Street and the Pavilion, with condos, townhomes and East Shore’s single-family homes. East Shore sections are in MUDs 6, 60 or 67; Town Center is in MUD 6 or the Woodlands Metro Center MUD. Town Center owners also pay a Town Center Owners Association fee ($0.12), and East Shore owners pay an annual HOA fee of $1,800 to $3,000, according to the developer’s tax sheet.
Windsor Hills and Windsor Lakes
Windsor Hills (MUD 67, about $1.79) has a monthly HOA fee of $275. Windsor Lakes is inside the City of Conroe: it pays Conroe city tax ($0.4272) and no MUD or Township tax, plus a one-time HOA membership of $1,250 and monthly HOA fees of $255 to $415 (developer’s tax sheet).
Creekside Park (Tomball ISD)
Starter page: Creekside Park & Creekside Park West overview →
The newest village and the only one in Harris County, zoned to Tomball ISD. Because it pays Harris County, Harris County ESD 11, Tomball ISD and MUD 386 rates plus the Township tax, its all-in rate (about $2.40 for 2025) is noticeably higher than the Montgomery County villages. Details are in the Tomball ISD guide.
Home prices by village
The Woodlands overall (all three school districts): 1,527 single-family sales, median sold price $641,000 (typical range $445,000–$935,000), median $228 per sq ft and 17 days on market. Nearly all were resales. HAR MLS, single-family homes sold Nov. 3, 2025–Nov. 3, 2026.
For context, Conroe ISD as a whole (which reaches well beyond The Woodlands): 6,244 sales, median $372,000; new construction $300,000 (2,191 sales), resale $410,000 (4,053).
| Village or area | Sales | Median sold price | Typical range (25th–75th pct.) | Median $/sq ft | Median days on market | New construction vs. resale (median, sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grogan’s Mill | 168 | $477,000 | $328,000–$928,000 | $217 | 22 | Mostly resale (1 new) |
| Panther Creek | 154 | $498,000 | $343,000–$814,000 | $231 | 18 | Mostly resale (1 new) |
| Cochran’s Crossing | 218 | $650,000 | $530,000–$850,000 | $236 | 12 | All resale |
| Indian Springs | 77 | $620,000 | $490,000–$905,000 | $235 | 16 | All resale |
| Alden Bridge | 251 | $550,000 | $434,000–$694,000 | $213 | 17 | All resale |
| College Park (Harper’s Landing, Grogan’s Forest) | 58 | $425,000 | $360,000–$605,000 | $171 | 18 | All resale |
| Sterling Ridge (Conroe ISD part) | 162 | $838,000 | $575,000–$1,156,000 | $237 | 12 | All resale |
| Carlton Woods (gated golf community) | 22 | $3,050,000 | $2,406,000–$3,424,000 | $402 | 16 | All resale |
| East Shore | 17 | $1,230,000 | $1,116,000–$2,150,000 | $429 | 19 | All resale |
| Windsor Hills | 22 | $390,000 | $363,000–$417,000 | $175 | 24 | All resale |
| Windsor Lakes | 23 | $404,000 | $344,000–$448,000 | $171 | 17 | All resale |
| Creekside Park (Tomball ISD) | 263 | $875,000 | $655,000–$1,184,000 | $243 | 20 | Mostly resale (1 new) |
| May Valley / Sterling Ridge West and Del Webb (Magnolia ISD) | 69 | $615,000 | $468,000–$745,000 | $202 | 17 | All resale |
No single-family sales were matched to Town Center, where housing is mostly condos and townhomes. Village groupings come from the MLS Subdivision field; 23 Conroe ISD sales listed only as “The Woodlands” or under a small named subdivision count toward the overall figure but not a village row.
How these were compiled: closed sales of Classic Single-Family homes in the district’s HAR MLS export, grouped by the listing’s Subdivision and Master Planned Community fields (name spellings and section numbers vary, so sections were combined). Medians are rounded to the nearest $1,000. Groups with fewer than 10 sales are not given a median. A median describes the homes that happened to sell, not the value of any one home.
All information is deemed reliable estimates but is not guaranteed and is subject to change at any time. Source: HAR MLS, single-family homes sold Nov. 3, 2025–Nov. 3, 2026. Data compiled by Clayton Jones.
Commuting from The Woodlands
The Woodlands sits on the I-45 corridor between Houston and Conroe:
- I-45 (North Freeway). The main route south to downtown Houston and north to Conroe. The Woodlands Parkway, Research Forest Drive and SH 242 are the main connections from the villages.
- Hardy Toll Road. A tolled alternative to I-45 toward downtown and Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
- Grand Parkway (SH 99). Crosses I-45 just south of The Woodlands near the ExxonMobil campus and runs west to SH 249, Tomball and Cypress.
- The Woodlands Express. The Township’s weekday commuter buses run from the Sawdust, Research Forest and Sterling Ridge park-and-ride lots to downtown Houston, Greenway Plaza and the Texas Medical Center.
Several of these are toll roads, so plan on an EZ TAG (or a compatible Texas toll tag).
Approximate drive times (off-peak, no traffic). These are rough route estimates from OpenStreetMap-based routing (OSRM). Rush-hour times can be much longer, so test-drive your commute at the time you’d actually make it.
| From → To | Town Center | Alden Bridge | Sterling Ridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExxonMobil campus (Spring) | ~10 min | ~20–25 min | ~25 min |
| The Woodlands Town Center | n/a | ~15 min | ~15 min |
| Downtown Houston | ~40 min | ~50 min | ~50 min |
| Galleria/Uptown | ~45–50 min | ~55–60 min | ~60 min |
| Energy Corridor (I-10 at Park Ten) | ~55 min | ~65 min | ~60 min |
| Texas Medical Center | ~45–50 min | ~55–60 min | ~60 min |
| Bush Intercontinental Airport | ~35 min | ~45 min | ~45 min |
Peak-hour estimates aren’t listed because we haven’t found a reliable published source for them. The times above are approximate and off-peak. Check your own route in a mapping app at the hour you’d actually drive.
Property taxes, MUDs, and PIDs
Texas has no state income tax, so local services are funded mainly through property taxes. In most of The Woodlands, the bill combines Montgomery County, the county hospital district, Lone Star College, Conroe ISD, The Woodlands Township, and a Municipal Utility District (MUD). The Township tax pays for services a city would usually provide, such as fire, parks and covenant enforcement. There is no city tax except in the few areas inside Shenandoah or Conroe city limits.
Conroe ISD’s rate. For tax year 2026, Conroe ISD adopted a total rate of $0.9471 per $100 of taxable value ($0.6671 maintenance & operations + $0.28 debt service), down from $0.9496. Texas homeowners get a $140,000 homestead exemption for school taxes, with more for homeowners who are over 65 or disabled.
The Woodlands Township’s rate. The Township board set $0.1694 per $100 for 2026, down from $0.1714.
MUDs and PIDs, in general terms.
- The Woodlands’ MUDs are mostly older districts, so their rates are low compared with newer master plans (about $0.06 to $0.24 per $100 in 2026 on the Montgomery County side).
- Some areas add an owners association fee (Town Center) or a substantial HOA (East Shore, Windsor Hills, Windsor Lakes). These are separate from taxes.
- In Texas, sellers must give buyers a statutory Notice to Purchaser describing the MUD’s tax rate and bonded debt before the contract is signed. Read it carefully.
- Look up the exact address on the Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD) website (or HCAD for Creekside Park), and ask Clayton for an all-in tax estimate before you make an offer.
Tax rates by taxing unit (per $100 of taxable value, from the Montgomery County Tax Office’s rate history, checked Nov. 3, 2026). Tax year 2025 was billed in fall 2025; tax year 2026 rates are the newly adopted ones that will be billed this fall.
| Taxing unit | Who pays it | 2025 rate | 2026 rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conroe ISD | All areas except Creekside Park and May Valley | $0.9496 | $0.9471 |
| Montgomery County | Montgomery County addresses | $0.3770 | $0.3860 |
| Montgomery County Hospital District | Montgomery County addresses | $0.0473 | $0.0458 |
| Lone Star College System | Addresses in the college district | $0.1060 | $0.1058 |
| The Woodlands Township | All villages except Windsor Lakes and east Grogan’s Forest | $0.1714 | $0.1694 |
| Woodlands MUD 1 | Grogan’s Mill, Panther Creek | $0.0670 | $0.063161 |
| Montgomery County MUD 6 | Grogan’s Mill, East Shore, Town Center | $0.067108 | $0.064896 |
| Montgomery County MUD 7 | Cochran’s Crossing | $0.106585 | $0.105320 |
| Montgomery County MUD 36 | Grogan’s Mill | $0.0424 | $0.0655 |
| Montgomery County MUD 39 | College Park (Harper’s Landing) | $0.2400 | $0.2400 |
| Montgomery County MUD 46 | Sterling Ridge, Alden Bridge, Grogan’s Mill, May Valley | $0.174633 | $0.171612 |
| Montgomery County MUD 47 | Alden Bridge, Cochran’s Crossing | $0.160684 | $0.159239 |
| Montgomery County MUD 60 | Indian Springs, Panther Creek, Cochran’s Crossing, East Shore, Grogan’s Forest | $0.124965 | $0.11735 |
| Montgomery County MUD 67 | Alden Bridge, Cochran’s Crossing, East Shore, Windsor Hills | $0.1350 | $0.1350 |
| Woodlands Metro Center MUD | Town Center | $0.0850 | $0.0850 |
Together, the first five rows add up to $1.6541 per $100 for 2026 ($1.6513 for 2025). Add the MUD that applies to an address to get a rough rate: about $1.72 to $1.89 for 2026 in the Conroe ISD villages. May Valley homes pay Magnolia ISD ($0.9325 for 2026) instead of Conroe ISD. These sums leave out any other special district that may be on the bill. Exemptions lower your taxable value, not the rate. Always look up the exact address on MCAD before you make an offer.
Things to do
- The Woodlands Waterway and Town Center: a walkable district of restaurants, hotels and offices along the Waterway (pictured at the top of this page), plus Market Street’s shops and restaurants.
- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (2005 Lake Robbins Dr.): the community’s outdoor concert venue, which also hosts holiday shows and other events.
- Parks and pathways: 151 parks and 220 miles of pathways, plus the 1,900-acre George Mitchell Preserve and about 1,870 acres of other forest preserve.
- Golf: about 1,690 acres of golf courses across the community.
- Nearby: Creekside Park’s village center and the Spring Creek greenway to the south, and Magnolia’s parks and the Texas Renaissance Festival to the west (see the Magnolia guide).
- Upcoming events: Lighting of the Doves, Holiday on The Waterway, Pavilion shows and more are on our Woodlands events page, updated weekly from official sources.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A mature master plan with forest preserves, 151 parks and 220 miles of pathways
- Relatively low MUD rates and a modest Township rate, giving many villages all-in rates under $1.90 per $100 in 2026, well below new MUD communities elsewhere in Northwest Houston
- Minutes to the ExxonMobil campus and a large local job base in Town Center
- Town Center dining, shopping and concerts close to home
- Commuter buses to downtown, Greenway Plaza and the Medical Center
Cons
- Long drives to the west side. The Energy Corridor and the Galleria are about 45–65 minutes even with no traffic, and I-45 is congested at rush hour.
- Split school lines: three school districts, and two Conroe ISD high schools splitting several villages.
- No city government. The Township provides city-like services, but the community voted against incorporation in 2021 so policing is a county responsibility: the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office patrols the Montgomery County villages and Town Center, and the Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 4, covers Creekside Park, with extra deputies funded through Township contracts.
- Covenants are enforced by the Township, and some areas carry substantial HOA or owners association fees.
- Flood risk varies by location (Spring Creek and Panther Creek watersheds, among others). Check any address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for the official flood map (and Harris County’s Flood Education Mapping Tool for Creekside Park), and ask for the seller’s flood disclosure.
Thinking about a move to The Woodlands?
I’m Clayton Jones, a Houston-area REALTOR® who helps relocating buyers narrow down Northwest Houston before they ever get on a plane. I can:
- Confirm school zoning and the all-in tax rate for any home you’re considering
- Run a test commute or do a video tour for you if you’re out of state
- Walk you through new-construction contracts, MUD notices, and builder incentives
Book a free relocation consultation → · Get the Northwest Houston Relocation Guide (PDF) → · Call/text: (832) 402-8784 · Email: [email protected]
Last updated: November 3, 2026. Ratings, rates, and attendance zones change; verify all information independently. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed.
Sources
- The Woodlands Township, Government (history, services, funding, board, annexation protection): https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Government
- Woodlands Online, incorporation election results (Nov. 2, 2021): https://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=71439
- The Woodlands Township, Area Demographics (2025 Community Facts provided by Howard Hughes: population, homes, parks, pathways, open space): https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Community/Business-Resources/Economic-Development/Area-Demographics
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, The Woodlands CDP, Texas: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/thewoodlandscdptexas
- The Woodlands (Howard Hughes), “The Woodlands 2025 Taxes per $100 Valuation” (village MUDs, school districts, HOA and owners association fees) (PDF): https://www.thewoodlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025Tax.pdf
- Conroe ISD, “Conroe ISD earns B rating for third consecutive year” (Aug. 16, 2026): https://www.conroeisd.net/article/3077908/ · TXschools.gov, Conroe ISD profile: https://txschools.gov/?id=170902&lng=en&tab=overview&view=district
- Conroe ISD, About Conroe ISD (size, established, graduation rate, tax rate): https://cox.conroeisd.net/o/cisd/page/about
- Conroe ISD, The Woodlands HS Feeder Zone: https://www.conroeisd.net/page/the-woodlands-hs-feeder-zone/ · TW College Park Feeder Zone: https://www.conroeisd.net/page/tw-college-park-feeder-zone/ · District Maps / Find My School: https://www.conroeisd.net/o/cisd/page/district-maps
- The Kink Team, “The Woodlands Schools Guide” (high school split by village, College Park academy): https://thekinkteam.com/the-woodlands-schools-guide/ · Paige Martin, “Which School Districts Serve The Woodlands”: https://liveinthewoodlands.com/which-school-districts-serve-the-woodlands/
- Magnolia ISD, Subdivision List 2025–2026 (PDF): https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1753122300/magnoliaisdorg/x89cjy1qf3g8xzcfiai5/Subdivision_List_2025-2026.pdf
- Community Impact, “Conroe ISD approves tax rate and budget for 2026-27 school year”: https://communityimpact.com/conroe-montgomery/education/conroe-isd-approves-tax-rate-and-budget-for-2026-27-school-year/
- Montgomery County Tax Office, Tax Rate History (tax years 2025 and 2026), checked Nov. 3, 2026: https://www.mctotx.org/tax_rate_history/index.php
- The Woodlands Township, “The Woodlands Township Adopts 2026 Property Tax Rate” (via Woodlands Online): https://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=84717
- Township Transportation, The Woodlands Express: https://www.woodlandstransit.com/Express · Routes & Schedules: https://www.woodlandstransit.com/Express/Schedules
- Drive-time estimates: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (router.project-osrm.org), queried Nov. 3, 2026; free-flow estimates only.
- The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion: https://www.woodlandscenter.org/
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search · Harris County Flood Control District, Flood Education Mapping Tool: https://www.hcfcd.org/Resources/Interactive-Mapping-Tools/Harris-County-Flood-Education
- Texas Real Estate Research Center, “Clear as MUD”: https://trerc.tamu.edu/article/clear-as-mud/
- The Woodlands Township, Law Enforcement: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Community/County-Services/Law-Enforcement