The Woodlands

Today, there are 146 parks connected by 214 miles of hike and bike trails. For many years, various homeowner associations and special purpose districts provided services for residents and businesses.  For example, The Howard Hughes Corporation recently celebrated the completion of The Woodlands Waterway, a 1.8 mile-long water amenity.  The Woodlands Waterway links shopping and dining, commercial businesses, residential living, entertainment (including the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion), public art and public parks.

Schools (public –23, private –9) are strategically placed for 32,550 local children (38.8% of the total population). The total area  for open space, golf courses, and forest preserve is a whopping 7,665 acres (3,102 hectares).

POPULATION

According to the 1980 census, The Woodlands had a population of 8,434.  According to The Howard Hughes Corporation statistics, the population in 2017 had grown to 116,278.  The median household income is $97,280.

The Woodlands offers many entertainment venues including two movie theaters, over 150 restaurants,  dancing waterfalls with music, and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, summer home of the Houston Symphony and catering for many large acts (rock bands to classical). Other attractions include Market Street, an old style “Main Street” pedestrian shopping district, home to a movie theater and a variety of shops and restaurants. The Woodlands Mall borders the waterway and is adjacent to Market Street, forming a large pedestrian-friendly shopping district. Each of the “villages” in The Woodlands has its own shopping center with a core grocery store and shops, banks, gas, restaurants, etc.

The publicly accessible Woodlands Waterway connects all aspects of The Woodlands life with public parks such as Town Green Park and Waterway Square, a one-acre destination featuring signature fountains choreographed to music and a stage for community performances, finally continuing to 200-acre Lake Woodlands.

TEMPERATURES:

The average temperatures in The Woodlands range from 70 to 100 degrees in the summer months (June, July, August, and parts of May and September), and from 40 to 65 degrees in the winter months (December & January, and parts of November and February).

PRECIPITATION & HUMIDITY:

Rainfall in The Woodlands area is slightly higher than most cities in the country, at 3 to 5 1/2 inches per month. The wettest month is in May. Likewise, humidity is higher than normal at a consistent level of

85-90% humidity in the morning, and, 60-70% humidity in the evenings. Snowfall is fairly rare. Snow that collects on the ground usually only occurs once every three or four years or so.

HURRICANES & TORNADOES:

Located near the east coast of the Gulf of Mexico, The Woodlands is periodically the recipient of hurricane winds and storms. Recent hurricanes include hurricane Alicia (1983), Hurricane Gilbert (1988), Hurricane Bret (1999), Hurricane Rita (2005), and Hurricane Ike (2008). The Woodlands also has experienced several tornado events, but these are generally not long lived or dangerous if proper precautions are taken. Hurricane Season in Texas starts June 1st, and ends November 30th each year.

The Woodlands Area, including the cities of Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North, as well as the master- planned community of The Woodlands has enjoyed unprecedented commercial growth in the last several years. The area’s economic base is well diversified with over 4,000 employers, including all sectors, located in the area. These businesses range from owner-operated establishments to global corporate headquarters.

The Woodlands Area is home to a variety of leading companies, including Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Aon Hewitt, CB&I, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, CHI St. Luke’s Health – The Woodlands Hospital, ExxonMobil, Huntsman Corporation, McKesson Specialty Health, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital and Repsol USA.

• The Woodlands Town Center offers more than 1,500 acres of office buildings, retail establishments, residential and entertainment facilities.

• The Research Forest features secluded development, separated by natural forest vegetation and ponds, providing tranquil campus-like settings for

• College Park contains the campuses of Lone Star College – Montgomery, Lone Star College – University Center, and Sam Houston State University – The Woodlands Center, large shopping plazas and the Trade Center, a warehousing and distribution Business

• Hughes Landing is a 66-acre mixed-use development that includes Class A office space, high density residential living, a restaurant row and gourmet grocer on a lakeside

• Research Forest Lakeside is a 77-acre corporate campus that includes convenience retail overlooking Lake

The Woodlands is a heavily forested area, and much of the community has retained trees for shade and decoration. The terrain is essentially flat, with the exception of topographic variations ranging from 125 to 175 feet between Spring Creek and Flintridge Drive.  Due to advance engineering and flood control, The Woodlands has never flooded.