The woodlands vs Clearlake, TX Family Relocation (Houston, San Antonio: to rent, home)

[SolarBaby]

We are following the smart money from California to Texas.

My family of three are one of the families getting the heck out of Dodge. We have agreed to the cost of living increase that moving from Texas to California has, however, the increases in income just do not seem right We looked into the 7 states without income taxes and decided on Florida or Texas. We are currently leaning a little more towards Florida, as it would be a change, having lived in San Antonio previously. I do not want to talk about Florida on this thread, I already have one for that. That being said, this tax hike is the last straw for us and we do not wish to give California anymore donations.
We have narrowed down our Texas search to The Woodlands and Clearlake, TX. My family has spent some (not alot) of time in Clearlake and always had great memories of our time there. We have not seen all of the area, and have never been to The Woodlands.
I wanted to know if anyone had any thoughts on these two areas and how they compare for a family of 3 (and growing) that works from home. Therefore, commuting will not be an issue.
Schools are obviously important. Great Neighbors, areas to walk, catch a movie, outdoor activities, and the beach is also important as my daughter loves it!
Looking forward to any friendly suggestions/ information you can provide. We are not interested in Katy or similar suburbs.
BTW, we are looking to rent (prefer single family home 3-4 bed/ 2 bath). We plan to save in order to purchase again, should we find a area we love enough.

[texas7]

One is North and one is South -- depends on where your jobs are in relationship to where you live.

[RiceU2008]

ClearLake southeast side of town closer to the beaches, The Woodlands is a bit far north of houston but with more trees you should also factor your job because traffic can be horrible during rush hours

[nana053]

Originally Posted by RiceU2008

ClearLake southeast side of town closer to the beaches, The Woodlands is a bit far north of houston but with more trees you should also factor your job because traffic can be horrible during rush hours

She said they work from home so they don't have to worry about commuting.

[texas7]

Missed the part about working from home. In that case, its all personal preference as both are nice areas and both have good schools. Depends on what you enjoy in your free time. I prefer the Clear Lake area to that of the Woodlands but again, no reason in particular other than personal preference. I have family in the Woodlands area and they prefer it to the Clear Lake area.

[Tex N Cal]

I vote for The Woodlands. A master-planned community without the master-planned feel. Overall, a great area to raise a family and plenty to do.

[bloodwings19]

Originally Posted by Tex N Cal

I vote for The Woodlands. A master-planned community without the master-planned feel. Overall, a great area to raise a family and plenty to do.

Advantage:
Never floods (except Timberlake/Timberidge not part of The Woodlands)
Friendly neighbors
Wide streets
Hike/Bike Trails
Education choices
Public school sports
Entertainment choices
Healthy events (Ironman, Semi-marathon)

Disadvantage:
Stop Light cameras
Busy main roads
Nightmarish commutes
Trees
Unfriendly people (appearance)
Pricing (Gas, Food)

What I don't like about Clear Lake is their hurricane evacuation zone, other than that I don't know much about the area then already told by Houstonians.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Tex N Cal

I vote for The Woodlands. A master-planned community without the master-planned feel. Overall, a great area to raise a family and plenty to do.

What about The Woodlands doesn't feel master planned?

Both work. Clear Lake if you like the close to the water feel. It also feels more connected to Houston, with a little more vibe, restaurant diversity, and funk thrown in. Close to Hobby, bit of a drive to IAH.

Woodlands if you want to be first in line to evacuate, , for a hurricane. Closer to routes out of Texas and IAH. Removed from the city, sleepy MPC vibe, but but you can find plenty of funk and mess up at 45.

Both have massive High Schools compounds with good TAKS test results/ratings

[vwgto]

If the beach is important, and it sounds like you already have experience with Texas beaches, then Clear Lake would be the choice. The Woodlands is a great place to raise a family, and would meet all of your other listed needs. If you are renting, you wouldn't have visibility to the somewhat higher taxes/fees.....but you would appreciate the
aesthetics and very good upkeep that comes with a planned community.

[SolarBaby]

It sounds like between the two I really could pick either one It seems there is a lot that goes on in The Woodlands. There is plenty to do outdoors with concerts to boot. However, on the other hand I get access to the beach from Clearlake, whereas, I would have to travel much further from The Woodlands.

The hurricanes are certainly something to consider...

Are there any slight changes in climate between the two places or is the difference is breeze/ humidity hardly noticeable? Does the ocean or the trees effect things ie. Do the trees create a fair amount of shade?

Also, is there a main area in the Clearlake area that one goes to in order to have a fun day away or a nice evening out? I drove past Galveston once on the way to a funeral and cannot really remember much. Except that it was a very sunny day and very cold (December). Is the water clean? Is the sand nice? Is there a strip of some sort or a town area? What else is within 45 minutes to an hours drive?

Which area do you feel that a family that likes to stay busy, and does not want to run out of things to do would do best?

What is the average age/ feel of the people in the two areas. For example, is one mostly young families 20's and early 30's or families that a bit more mature 40's and early 50's or perhaps mostly retirees?

I really am trying to get a feel for the areas?