League City

Ready to Invest in League City, Texas? Here’s What You Need to Know

Head out of downtown Houston, travel less than 25 miles down I-45 South toward Galveston, and half an hour before you hit the coastline, you’ll find yourself in League City, Texas. But don’t let the fact that this town is evenly spaced between Houston and Galveston fool you – League City is anything but a pit stop for hungry travelers. League City is a thriving community with plenty to offer its residents.

The History of League City

League City is located in Galveston County and sits within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area. The city’s official population at the time of the 2010 census was 83,560, though newer estimates suggest that number has inflated to nearly 100,000 over the last six or seven years. And while it may not get the attention that nearby Galveston gets, League City actually surpassed Galveston as the largest city in the county more than a decade ago.

Talk to any long-time League City resident and their eyes will light up when you ask about the history of the area. Settled on the former site of a Karankawa Indian village, the area where League City now rests is actually one of this country’s earliest connections to the Paleo-Indian age. Near the northern border of the city, right along Clear Creek, artifacts have been discovered that date the site as early as 9000 BC. Archeologists believe the site was used intermittently – likely seasonally – until the early 16th century.

As for how League City came into being, history ties the city to three families: the Butlers, Cowarts, and Perkinses. The Butler family settled inland. The Cowart family built their homestead on what is now known as Cowart’s Creek. The Perkins made their home along another creek that’s lined with beautiful magnolia trees and is rightfully called Magnolia Bayou.

George W. Butler arrived in the area from Louisiana around 1873, but it wasn’t until a man named J.C. League acquired the land a little while later that League City, as we know it today, began to form. There were a few feuds between Butler and League over the naming of the city – and it actually changed multiple times between Clear Creek and League City – but the latter was ultimately chosen.

League City was officially incorporated in 1962 and the government consists of seven council members and a mayor. The population has risen dramatically over the last 25 years, ballooning to nearly three-times its size in the mid-1990s, and is now seen as one of the top places to raise children in all of Galveston County.

League City Demographics

Since the turn of the century, League City has enjoyed more prosperity than it ever previously had. Rising costs in Galveston have forced many families to move to other areas in the state, and since the cost of living index in League City is just 93.8 percent (compared to a national average of 100), the city has been a popular destination.

According to City-Data.com, median household income is now $111,819 – up from just $67,838 in 2000. And the median resident age is right around 36 years old, while nearly one-fourth of the population is under 18 years old.

League City has also become more diverse over the last 20 years. The number of people claiming to be “white alone” is down to 65.6 percent. People of Hispanic origin make up 18.9 percent of the population, while 7.3 percent of the population is black, and 4.4 percent is Asian.

Good things are happening for the city. It’s becoming wealthier, younger, and more diverse – a combination that likely spells even more growth for League City in the decade to come.

League City Employment and Schools

As a whole, League City is very educated. Of those who are 25 years and older, 95 percent have graduated from high school, 43 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 14 percent have some type of graduate or professional degree.

Because of the pro-business climate in League City and the fact that there are so many highly educated workers in the market, the unemployment rate has been hovering just above 3 percent in recent months (less than the average rate throughout the state of Texas). Even during the height of the recession, when national unemployment rates were nearing 10 percent, League City never surpassed 7.5 percent.

Jobs aren’t difficult to come by in League City, especially with its close proximity to Houston and Galveston. The split between white collar and blue collar jobs is roughly 60-40 and the city council has worked hard over the past few years to revitalize the downtown area and encourage local business growth. The recent Main Street Implementation Plan has played a positive role in this.

As far as schools go, League City schools get an 7 out of 10 grade on the GreatSchools scale. The majority of students in the area attend schools in the Clear Creek ISD, with the public high schools being Clear Creek High School, Clear Springs High School (in western League City), and the newest facility, Clear Falls High School (in southeastern League City). There are also a handful of private schools, as well as San Jacinto College and the College of the Mainland.

League City Real Estate

As is the case with the rest of the state of Texas, real estate is booming in League City. As of Spring 2017, the median list price for real estate in League City is right around $335,000. The median home size, which has remained pretty consistent over the last decade, is just under 3,000 square feet.

The more expensive neighborhoods tend to be located east of I-45 and closer to Clear Creek and the bay, while more affordable housing can be found southwest of downtown. Nearly half of all homes in League City fall in the $125,000 to $250,000 range. The homeownership rate is just around 72.5 percent, with renters making up the remaining 27.5 percent.

More than half of all homes in League City have been built since 2000, while just 5 percent were built prior to the 1970s. Three out of four homes are classified as single-family. The average rent for a two-bedroom property is right around $1,156 per month.

Attractions and Amenities in League City

If you love spending time outdoors, League City is the place for you. You’ll enjoy checking out spots like Bayou Wildlife Park, Clear Lake Recreation Area, Galveston Island, and the Kemah Boardwalk & Waterfront. And considering that Galveston is just a short drive away, many League City families take regular day trips to the beach during the summer. Big city attractions await for those willing to make the half-hour drive north to Houston.

As far as annual events go, League City puts on live concerts during the warmer months, there’s the Clear Lake Boat Parade every December, a Fourth of July Celebration each July, and a number of weekend markets and fairs throughout the spring and summer.

Give Green Residential a Call

At Green Residential, we’ve proudly served real estate investors, landlords, and homeowners in the Houston area for more than 30 years. If you’re looking for a property management partner to help you gain more control over your real estate portfolio, we’d love to help. We even offer a helpful home search tool for your convenience. Contact us today and we’ll let you know more about our wide variety of services, as well as our convenient flat rate management fee.