Kingwood Texas: Forbes Magazine has confirmed what Kingwood residents already know . . . Kingwood is a great place to live.
The "Livable Forest" was rated as one of the "Most Livable" Suburbs for the Houston Metro area along with Spring and Atascocita. A variety of metrics were used in the ranking, including quality of schools, size and affordability of homes, and the safety of the neighborhoods.
One thing that I found interesting is that while Kingwood ranked well on all of the study's criteria to be awarded "Most Livable Suburb," it didn't address many of the characteristics that make Kingwood a truely special place to live. How can you quantify the impact of the canopy of trees, the 75 miles of greenbelt and trails, parks in every village, numerous community events, and the friendliness of the people?
So I asked my friends why they loved living here, and this is what they had to say . . .
I feel like we have found paradise right outside of the amenities of a big city. I feel the tall trees protect us from the air pollution of Houston! My husband's job transferred us to Humble and we were told to live in Kingwood -- not Atascocita or Humble. We knew that the schools were great and that's just hearsay from Austin, Texas. The homes and the manicured lawns impressed us. Everyone really cares for their property and their community. And we also heard that Kingwood has a low crime rate compared to other areas.
Rhonda Schnitz
Membership Director
Kingwood Mothers of Young Children
We moved to Kingwood because we had visited a friend and thought it was so beautiful, all the tall gorgeous trees and green grass. Not like Irving or Wichita Falls. The friend helped him get a job at Administaff and it absorbed my income so I got to stay home with the girls. And then when we realized how much of a house we got for the price. That was a major bonus.
Shawna Fritsch
Owner, Kidstage
Kingwood is a close in community and has a good school system, but the days are too long for our children. School should start later.I also like the restrictions of keeping our yards up, the trails, and the pools. We need more police in the trails though to scare away any creeps!We came here for the school system and the clean area.Colleen Luck
Southern Charm School of EtiquetteJed and I chose Kingwood because Kingwood is beautiful with a community feel to it. You never know who you will run into because so many people who live here are from all over the world! Kingwood is a small cosmopolitan town with great family values and a myriad of things to do. It’s away from all the congestion of the city, yet not too far away where you can still enjoy all the things that a city offers including great shopping. Kingwood lends itself to those who are active in sports, exercise or just for cruising on a Sunday afternoon. We love Kingwood!Germaine and Jed NiedererMy husband and I lived in different parts of Houston before moving to Kingwood. I lived in the FM1960/I45 area and he lived off Westheimer and the Beltway. We only looked at neighborhoods that had new homes being built by Village Builders, and decided on Kingwood because of the small town feel and wooded neighborhoods, yet accessibility to downtown and the airport. My husband traveled 5 days a week at the time, so getting to the airport fast was a priority. We looked at the Woodlands, but only briefly. What turned us off about that area was that it was way too easy to get lost there and we had friends in every part of Houston that would be coming to visit us and we didn't want them getting lost on their way back home. If we would get lost, they definitely would. Also, there is so much affluence in The Woodlands, it was almost a turnoff because of the superior attitude of those living there. Kingwood has a similar demographic, yet we never felt inferior to anyone here and was welcomed with open arms. I love The Woodlands for shopping, but I am glad we don't have everything in Kingwood that they do in The Woodlands because it would disrupt the small town feel Kingwood has.
I told my husband that I would only move out of Kingwood if we had to move out of the state. I love it here!Denise Ometzberger
Senior Supervisor, Stampin' Up!It is all about the people! With a neighborhood of “many moves” we are looking to find connections here for ourselves and our family. Our neighbors become our family, especially during the holidays as sometimes we stay here and no one comes to visit! We have lived here 20 years, the longest we have lived anywhere! So of course it is our home forever now! Our neighbors are the 50’s type of neighbors – looking after you when away, picking up your mail and more. Thank you Kingwood for being such a special place!Ellen Delap
Professional Organizer
It was the trees. The tree-lined streets of Kingwood are so inviting. I love to drive through a canopy of nature surrounded by the beautiful year-round flowers and landscaping. People are always out and about which makes this community feel approachable and neighborly. The houses have so much character. When I moved here from Tulsa, I found the other Houston communities very sad and sterile. My favorite thing about living in Kingwood is probably that it was easy to make this my home. The people, the shopping, the location to additional shopping and the airport, my church, family activities, parks and the weather make this such a great place to live.
Michele Dykstra
The Yoga Mama
So if you're moving to Houston and trying to decide on a neighborhood to call home , turn off of 59 into Kingwood and try it on for size. Sit on the outdoor patio at one of the three Starbucks , or be a rebel and give Kingwood Coffee a try. Have a picnic at the People's Park or take a walk at Kings Harbor.
