Neighborhood in Houston, Harris County

Living in Central Southwest Houston, Houston

D+

218th of 320areas in Houston
Overall score 26 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Houston overall: D+

Central Southwest Houston is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 11,800 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 218th of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on cost of living and worst on health.

  • Jobs and income scores low (17 of 100)
  • Getting around scores low (18 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.9 mi
Pharmacy0.7 mi
Park0.7 mi
Cafe2.1 mi
Restaurant0.7 mi
Gym1.3 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.7 mi
Childcare0.7 mi
Library1.6 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
11,850
Median rent
$1,310
Median home value
$208,000
Household income
$73,400
Average commute
27 min
Homes owned
56%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Central Southwest Houston

Central Southwest Houston is a neighborhood in Houston with about 11,900 residents, homes built around 1990, a mix of owners and renters and 34% of households with children.

Our grade for Central Southwest Houston is D+. That puts it 218th of 320 areas we grade in Houston, a city that gets a D+ overall.

Pros of living in Central Southwest Houston

No clear standouts in our data.

Cons of living in Central Southwest Houston

  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of river flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes as very high in this part of town.

Central Southwest Houston report card

Each grade compares Central Southwest Houston with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade B+

    Median rent $1,310, homes cost 2.8x income.

    75 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D

    Median household income $73,400, 8.6% unemployed.

    17 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade B-

    Nearby schools average 83 of 100 on the state rating.

    59 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 884 violent crimes per 100k, 3,828 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade D+

    Some everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    32 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade D

    Average commute 27 min, 7.9% work from home.

    18 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D-

    17% have a bachelor’s degree.

    15 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D-

    30% of adults uninsured.

    11 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade C+

    56% of homes owner-occupied.

    53 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade D+

    88% of homes have broadband.

    32 of 100 vs TX areas

Central Southwest Houston compared with Houston

Better than Houston

  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 28%26 points lower than Houston (54%)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 56%14 points higher than Houston (42%)
  • Home value to income: 2.8x34% lower than Houston (4.3x)

Worse than Houston

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 17%20 points lower than Houston (37%)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 30%6 points higher than Houston (24%)
  • Workers who walk, bike or take transit: 0%6 points lower than Houston (5.7%)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • BHobby ElementaryElementary, Houston ISD1.1 mi
  • BLawson MiddleMiddle, Houston ISD2.4 mi
  • BMadison High SchoolHigh, Houston ISD1.4 mi

Cost of living in Central Southwest Houston

Median rent in Central Southwest Houston is $1,310 a month, about the same as the Houston median. A household would need about $52,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $208,000, 25% lower than the Houston median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,277 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median rent4% lower than Houston$1,310$1,361$1,403
Median home value25% lower than Houston$208,000$277,800$283,800
Home value to income34% lower than Houston2.8x4.3x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent26 points lower than Houston28%54%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them14 points higher than Houston56%42%63%
Vacant homes10 points lower than Houston1.1%11%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Houston199019821992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,277
Mortgage payment
$1,139
Property tax
$139
Median rent, for comparison
$1,310

Based on a $208,000 home in Central Southwest Houston, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median household income13% higher than Houston$73,400$64,813$78,476
Unemployment rate2 points higher than Houston8.6%7.0%5.3%
People below the poverty line4 points higher than Houston24%20%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher20 points lower than Houston17%37%34%
Average commuteAbout the same as Houston27 min27 min27 min
Workers who work from home5 points lower than Houston7.9%13%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit6 points lower than Houston0%5.7%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet2 points lower than Houston88%90%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery high
  • Coastal floodingVery low
  • HurricanesVery high
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailLow
  • Heat wavesVery high
  • WildfiresModerate
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in Central Southwest Houston

Under 1823%
18 to 3427%
35 to 6439%
65 and over11%
Race and ethnicity
White5.5%
Hispanic or Latino57%
Black33%
Asian1.6%
Other or more than one race2.8%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Houston

  1. 1A+Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial ParkMedian rent $3,230
  2. 2A+Boulevard OaksMedian rent $1,940
  3. 3A+BraeswoodMedian rent $1,360
  4. 4A+Washington Avenue CorridorMedian rent $2,080
  5. 5A+Mandell PlaceMedian rent $1,210
  6. 6A+Westwood GroveMedian rent $2,100
  7. 7A+Kings Point
  8. 8A+Palisades ParkMedian rent $3,020

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. DCentral ChannelviewChannelview
  2. D+Central SocorroSocorro
  3. C-Central DickinsonDickinson

Questions about Central Southwest Houston

Is Central Southwest Houston a good place to live?

Central Southwest Houston is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 11,800 people. It gets a D+, in the bottom third of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 218th of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on cost of living and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in Central Southwest Houston?

Renters in Central Southwest Houston pay a median of $1,310 a month, 4% lower than the Houston median. The median home is worth $208,000, 25% lower than the Houston median. A median home costs 2.8x the median household income, compared with 4.3x across Houston.

What schools serve Central Southwest Houston?

The closest rated public schools are Hobby Elementary (elementary, rated B), Lawson Middle (middle, rated B) and Madison High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area is built from 6 Census block groups closest to the Central Southwest Houston name on the map, so its edges are approximate. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.