Neighborhood guide
Tomball
A real small-town main street, room for acreage, and Tomball ISD — a favorite for families who want space.
Tomball gives you a little more Texas. The historic downtown isn't a shopping center designed to look old — Tomball actually grew up around the railroad in the early 1900s, and that history is still visible in the Depot, the historic buildings, and the downtown streets. Today you can grab locally roasted coffee, shop antiques, eat nationally recognized Texas barbecue, catch a show at an intimate listening room, hit a Saturday farmers market with 70+ vendors, drink a locally brewed beer, and walk a nature preserve — then come back downtown for a festival.
At the same time, modern Tomball has expanded dramatically along Highway 249, FM 2920, the Grand Parkway, Northpointe, and the Kuykendahl corridor, so residents aren't giving up everyday conveniences to get the small-town character. It's a combination of historic Texas town, country lifestyle, and rapidly growing Houston suburb — which is exactly why families looking for more land and a real main street keep landing here.
Peter & Vicky's local guideSee our favorite places to eat, drink, and get outside in Tomball- Room for acreage
- Small-town main street
- Top-rated Tomball ISD
- Master-planned + country living
Schools
Nearly all of Tomball is zoned to Tomball ISD, the only district rated "A" by the Texas Education Agency in both Harris and Montgomery counties, ranked in the top 3% of Texas districts, and home to three high schools that have all made U.S. News & World Report's national "Best High Schools" list.
What homes cost
Typical listings run from the high-$300Ks to low-$400Ks, with plenty of established homes below that. Newer master-planned communities and acreage properties on the edges of town push well past that, especially anything with a few acres attached.
Getting around
About 28-30 miles northwest of Downtown Houston, mostly via Highway 249 (Tomball Parkway) — typically a 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic. The Grand Parkway (99) gives Tomball residents an easy loop out to The Woodlands, Bush Intercontinental Airport, or Cypress without cutting through central Houston.
The communities
Tap a community to start a search scoped to it. The ones marked "Full guide" have their own page.
- Historic Old Town Tomball — Walkable, 50+ shops and restaurants around the Depot
- Wildwood at Northpointe — Master-planned, wooded 700-acre community off Hwy 249
- Willowcreek Ranch — Gated, acreage home sites with an equestrian center
- Rosehill Reserve — Newer construction on the west side of town
- Amira — Resort-style master-planned community
- Northpointe — Established master-planned area off Hwy 249
Common questions
Is Tomball, TX a city?
Yes — unlike Spring or The Woodlands, Tomball is an incorporated city with its own city government, police department, and municipal services, in addition to its own historic downtown.
What school district is Tomball in?
Nearly all of Tomball is zoned to Tomball ISD, which has held an "A" rating from the Texas Education Agency for seven straight years and is the only "A" district in Harris or Montgomery counties.
How far is Tomball from Houston?
About 28-30 miles northwest of Downtown Houston via Highway 249, typically a 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic.
What is there to do in Tomball, TX?
Historic Old Town Tomball for antiques, boutiques, and dining; the Saturday Tomball Farmers Market; live music at Main Street Crossing; Kleb Woods Nature Preserve; and a genuine festival calendar that runs nearly every month of the year.