Communities | Katy, Cypress, Hockley & Richmond TX

top-rated schools, growing communities

Katy, Texas

Katy is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Houston metro, and for good reason. Families move here for the schools (Katy ISD consistently ranks among the top districts in Texas), the master-planned communities, and the balance of suburban living with easy access to the city.

New construction is booming in Katy, with communities like Elyson, Jordan Ranch, and Cane Island offering a wide range of floor plans and price points. Whether you're looking for a starter home or something with more room to grow, Katy has options at nearly every budget.

Average home prices in Katy sit around $468,000 as of mid-2026, with new builds ranging from the mid-$200s to well over $600K depending on the community and builder.

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houston's fastest-growing suburb

Cypress, Texas

Cypress is currently the fastest-growing suburb in the Greater Houston area, and it's easy to see why. The community has a wide range of price points, strong infrastructure growth along the Grand Parkway, and a mix of established and brand-new master-planned neighborhoods.

Families are drawn to Cypress for its proximity to both Highway 290 and the Grand Parkway, top-rated schools in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and communities like Bridgeland, Marvida, and Avalon at Cypress that offer resort-style amenities alongside thoughtfully designed new homes.

Homes in Cypress sell at close to 97% of list price, so the market here is active. If you're considering Cypress, it helps to have someone who knows which communities match your budget and priorities.

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more land, more room to grow

Hockley, Texas

Hockley offers something that's getting harder to find in the Houston suburbs: space. Larger lots, quieter streets, and a slower pace of life, all within a reasonable drive of the city.

New construction in the Hockley area often means more land for your money compared to Katy or Cypress. Several communities in and around Hockley are zoned to Waller ISD and offer single-family homes with generous lot sizes that appeal to families who want room to spread out.

If you're looking for new construction where you're not on top of your neighbor, Hockley is worth a serious look.

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value meets top-tier schools

Richmond, Texas

Richmond and the surrounding Fort Bend County area combine affordability with some of the best schools in the state. Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD both serve the area, and families here benefit from strong property values and a growing list of amenities.

New home communities in Richmond offer a range of options from entry-level builds to larger custom homes. The area has seen steady growth without the rapid price spikes of some neighboring cities, making it an attractive option for families who want value without compromising on quality.

Richmond is also well-connected to Sugar Land and the rest of the Houston metro, so you're never far from the action even though it feels like a world away.

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compare the areas

Tax Rates and School Districts

Two homes five minutes apart can carry meaningfully different tax rates, because your rate is the sum of every taxing entity your address falls inside: county, school district, any Municipal Utility District, and other special districts. Knowing your specific rate before you sign a contract matters as much as knowing the interest rate on your loan.

Area	School district	County	Typical total tax rate
Katy, TX	Katy ISD · 1.1171%	Harris / Fort Bend / Waller	1.72% – 3.24%
Cypress, TX	Cypress-Fairbanks ISD · 1.0669%	Harris	1.94% – 3.19%
Hockley, TX	Waller ISD · 1.0626%	Harris / Waller	1.94% – 3.19%
Richmond, TX	Fort Bend ISD 1.0569% / Lamar CISD 1.1469%	Fort Bend	1.66% – 2.67%
Fulshear, TX	Lamar CISD 1.1469% / Katy ISD 1.1171%	Fort Bend	1.72% – 2.67%

These are final adopted 2025 rates, the most recent complete tax year. The range in the last column is the school district plus the county plus a Municipal Utility District, because nearly every new-construction community out here sits inside one. Without a MUD you would be looking at roughly 1.48% to 1.74% depending on the county, and the MUD is what carries you to the top of the range. County rates: Harris 0.62413%, Fort Bend 0.4220%, Waller 0.556187%. Published MUD ranges: Harris 0.25% to 1.50%, Fort Bend 0.18% to 1.10%, Waller 0.65% to 1.50%. Those are observed ranges rather than any legal ceiling. Taxing units adopt new rates each September and October, and MUD rates usually come down over time as the bonds are paid off, so treat this as a starting point and let me pull the exact rate for any address you are considering. Sources: Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector, and the Waller County Tax Office. Verified September 2026.

A note on MUD districts

Municipal Utility Districts are common across new-construction communities in Katy, Cypress, Fulshear and the surrounding areas. When a builder develops land outside an established city's utility system, a MUD is created to finance the water lines, sewer, drainage and roads. The district issues bonds, and homeowners repay them through a MUD tax added to the property tax bill. MUD rates typically decline over time as those bonds are paid off and more homes join the tax base, so a community's rate in year one is usually its highest.

The first-year tax trap on new construction

If your home was not finished on January 1, the county assesses only the land, so your first tax bill is low and your lender sets escrow from that low number. In year two the full value of the home hits the tax rolls, and your escrow and monthly payment jump with it. Estimate the year-two figure early and set the difference aside from day one.

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