Baytown, Texas

Most of the residents of Baytown are either families or young professionals who work in the refineries. The people who live here are mostly long-time residents who have grown up in the neighborhoods of this city and are now raising children here. This area is also highly culturally diverse with many people moving from overseas to work in the refineries.

There are a number of restaurants located in Baytown. In the main drag of town, there are many chain restaurants and a few family owned joints thrown in.

Clubs are rather hard to come by, but Houston is not too far away. You can take 1-10 to downtown or Midtown for clubbing opportunities.

Bars are prevalent and plentiful, but some can be a little rough. Most of the bars here are of the "sports" variety, and there are a few frat-type bars serving up loud entertainment on the weekends.

In Baytown, the rent is quite inexpensive, especially for what you get. The homes here are mostly older, but well cared for. These homes also come with lots of acreage and some even have pools. The only problem is that some of the homes may not have modern appliances or the giant rooms that some are used to. Expect to pay anywhere from $850-2000 a month for a home in Baytown, depending on size and condition.

Apartment complexes are also older here, with few modern amenities. Development of new apartment complexes is being done, but slowly. These apartments are home to lots of families and young professionals. The rent here starts at $500 and goes up from there depending on bedrooms.

Its quite easy to get around in Baytown, except if you are going to Downtown Houston during rush hour. Interstate 10 gets very backed up at this time.

This area is also served by a Metro commuter bus, the 236, for rush hour commuters looking to go to Downtown Houston.

Baytown also operates the Baytown Station at Baytown Travel Express for Greyhound buses, and the closest airports are Hobby and Intercontinental in Houston. 

The area is very easy to live in. If you are renting a home, be warned that you will often have to pay a deposit equal to the first months rent. This can make moving very expensive, so ask the owner if you can pay the deposit in installments.

Baytown was heavily damaged during Hurricane Ike in 2008. Ask your future landlord if there has been any damage from this major storm. Also ask if the area has flooded in recent times, as some areas in Baytown are flood-prone.

Baytown is full of fun activities to keep you busy.

First off, there is the Houston Ship Channel, which offers a ferry tour with cocktails and refreshements during your trip. There is also a nice country club for golfing.

Baytown also offers a community theatre operated by volunteers. There are also many parks to enjoy.

In the area of San Jacinto Mall is a large strip center with a movie theater, dining, and shopping opportunities.

This city offers many quaint neighborhoods, but since they are master-planned communities, everything can look alike. The ship channel is neat to look at, and there is a local park right next to it.

Grocery stores are plentiful, with a Kroger, HEB and SuperTarget all located centrally.

Baytown has a YMCA branch and also several privately owned gyms, such as Fitness Connection and Curves.

Banks are many and varied, ranging from national branches to smaller local banks and credit unions.

Dry cleaners are widely available, as are laundromats.

There are several employment opportunities in Baytown. Exxon-Mobile operates several offices, refineries and warehouses that generate plenty of jobs. There are also several opportunities available at other refineries, retail, and tons of jobs available at the Ship Channel.

Houston is not too far away, so if you decide to move to Baytown, you aren't just limited to what Baytown has to offer for employment.

Baytown is served by the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District. Based in Baytown, the district has 14 elementary schools (grades K-5), 5 junior highs (grades 6-8), 2 high schools (grades 9-12), a career center, and two alternative centers for education. The district serves all of Baytown. The two local high schools, Robert E. Lee and Ross S. Sterling have long had a friendly rivalry between them.

The weather is much the same as Houston, with six months of summer and temperatures going well into the 90s for this period of time. The winters here are mild, with very little freezing. Snow is a rarity.

Major weather events (hurricanes, tornadoes) rarely affect the area. The last major hurricane was Hurricane Ike in 2008.

This area can be prone to flooding, especially during a prolonged and heavy rain.