City Guide of Baytown, Texas

Overview Tab

History: Today Baytown, Texas, is a highly industrialized region with oil refining, rubber, chemical, and carbon black plants. The area came to be settled as early as 1822. Nathaniel Lynch and William Scott are among the first and most famous residents. Lynch is known for the setting up of the ferry crossing at the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou. While Scott owned a plantation in the area. Baytown came to be in 1948 when three towns — Goose Creek, Pelly, and unincorporated Baytown — were consolidated and subsequently known to be named the tri-cities. The first offshore drilling operation in Texas was the Goose Creek oilfield, it was also the second in the nation. In 1917, ExxonMobil was founded in the area. The land remained undeveloped and particularly desolate up until the twentieth century.

Location: Baytown falls within two different counties. The first being Harris County and the second being Chambers County. More specifically, the city is located in the Houston, Woodlands, and Sugar Land metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest city in the metropolitan area. Baytown lies north of the Galveston Bay complex near the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou. Major highways in close proximity to the city include State Highway 146 and Interstate 10.

Commutes: Baytown, Texas, offers shorter commute time for an average worker than other US cities. Over 82% of working citizens drive a car alone to commute, another 12% carpool, and the remaining amount of 2% work from home. The average car ownership in the city includes two cars per household. There are two airports: William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport as well as two Amtrak stations within 30 miles of the Baytown city center.

Culture: Baytown is situated right in the gulf coast region of Texas. Take a look around to find some of the most scenic and beautiful waterways which played a critical part in the Texas Revolution. The city prides itself in maintaining the serenity of its wildlife and nature. Most of the residents in Baytown are blue-collar workers who come from a variety of different places and backgrounds. Here one can go fishing, take a ferry ride, go for a walk around the art district, or catch a show on their freetime.

Local Government:

City Council
The Baytown City Council is the city’s legislative and policy-making body. The Council is made up of seven different members who work together to enact local legislation, adopt budgets, determine policy, and appoint the city manager. Six of the members were elected from each district and the remaining member holds the mayoral position for the entire city.
Phone: (281) 420-6550
Address: Baytown City Council, PO BOX 424, Baytown, TX 77522
Email: [email protected]

Mayor’s Office
The Mayor of Baytown holds a special position of power. Not only is the Mayor a key member of the Baytown City Council, but he/she also has the ability to set the city budget, enact and adopt ordinances, and play an influential role in the city as a whole.
Phone: (281) 420-6550
Address: 2401 Market St, Baytown, TX 77520
Email: [email protected]

Chamber of Commerce
The Baytown Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit entity created to represent the business community in the city. They strive to provide the leadership needed for economic growth and increased quality of life and aim to preserve and protect the free enterprise system.
Phone: (281) 422-8359
Address: 1300 Rollingbrook Dr # 400, Baytown, TX 77521
Email: [email protected]

Schools Tab

Overview: All schools in Baytown, Texas, are split into three different public school districts. There are Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, Barbers Hill Independent School District, and Deer Park Independent School District. The city has a school for every single grade level: preschool, elementary, middle, high, and even colleges and universities. Baytown has both public and private institutions, but no charter schools. The amount of public versus private schools are very similar: there are 29 public district schools and 37 private schools. For college students there is Lee College, San Jacinto College, Texas Chiropractic College, Lee College Career Pilot School, Lee College Baytown Wellness Center, and Lee Annex.

School Districts: There is one, extremely large school district in Baytown, Texas and two smaller ones. Namely the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (GCISD). GCISD has thirty schools all in all, and serves approximately 23,169 students. More specifically there are 15 preschools, 17 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 9 high schools. The core values of the district are to: graduate every child, provide a safe, nurturing, and educational environment, increase parent involvement, service before self, and respect diversity. The Barbers Hill (BHISD) and Deer Park Independent School District (DPISD) are much smaller in size. BHISD is a unified district with 13 schools and around 5,000 students. Whereas DPISD has 16 schools and 13,140 students.

Schools:

Elementary Schools
There are a total of 23 elementary schools in the whole city. One of the highest rated includes Crockett Elementary School. The school runs off the motto “where kids come first, all else is secondary.” Deer Park, Barbers Hill El North, Barbers Hill El South, and Dr. Johnny T. Clark, Jr. Elementary School are other highly suggested options. They range in location from the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, to Deer Park and Barbers Hill Independent School District.

Middle Schools
Baytown is diverse in both the amount of public and private middle schools as well as the area of location. The best 6th through 8th grade teachings stem from Deer Park Junior High School, Barbers Hill Middle South, Barbers Hill Middle North, Baytown Christian Academy, and Cedar Bayou Junior High School. Out of those listed Baytown Christian Academy is the only private school. The institution has around 225 students and 67% of all graduates go on to attend a four-year college.

High Schools
In Baytown, high schools are often equipped with the best teachers, loads of extracurriculars, and academically challenging coursework. For those students who want to attend a larger high school Deer Park High School is a solid option with 4,094 students. For private schools, Baytown Christian Academy serving students pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. For opportunities take college courses and participate in coursework designed to prepare students for college, Impact Early College High School is a go-to.

Private Schools
There are 37 private schools within the boundaries of Baytown, Texas. Six of these institutions are top private schools and contain approximately 719 students altogether. (1) Baytown Christian Academy, (2) Baytown Kindercare, (3) Day School for Little People, (4) Early Learning School, (5) First Baptist Academy, and (6) St. Joseph Catholic School. Two out of the top schools serve students in grades pre-kindergarten through kindergarten and the rest of the institutions range from pre-kindergarten to 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 12th grade

Housing Tab

Overview: Within Baytown the homeownership rate is at a 57%. Another 43% of residents rent their property, and the remaining 11% of properties are vacant. There are single family homes, townhomes, small apartment buildings and large complexes, and mobile homes. Out of these home types a good majority were built somewhere between the time period of 1970-1999, with the rest either from 1940-1969 or 2000 and newer. The average home in the city has three bedrooms. However, two bedrooms, one bedroom, and four bedrooms can also be easily found. Popular neighborhoods in Baytown include: City Center, Cove/Beach City, SPUR 55, West Main Street, Bayway Drive, and North Alexander Street. Out of all the possible places to live in the city, the number one community with the highest appreciating value is Pelly. The second is Brownwood.

Housing:

Single Family Homes
The cost of living in Baytown, Texas, is extremely low. Luckily for home buyers or renters this means a bigger property for a lower price. The price of a single-family home differs depending upon a number of factors including square footage, location, age of property, and more. About 60% of all properties are for sale and the remaining amount of listings are for rent.

Apartments
Baytown has a diverse mix of upscale and affordable apartments in the city. Apartments can be found for as little as $500.00 and can go upwards of $2,000.00. Bedrooms also range from studio to four plus. No matter where you may be located, there is an apartment complex near you. Ravella at Eastpoint, Stone Brook Apartments, The Inverness, Forest View, and The Place at 2500 James are just a few of the great options the city has to offer.

New Construction
In Baytown, Texas, there is an influx of new construction. There are a number of newly built properties on agricultural land and also to the west of the city. There are also major neighborhoods being built on two former golf courses in established parts of town. Goose Creek Landing is just one example of the fastest-selling residential subdivisions in the city. It is 100 acres and close to a number of Baytown’s best schools.

Waterfront Views
Baytown is known for many things, but the beauty that surrounds Galveston Bay, San Jacinto River, and Buffalo Bayou may be the best part of the city. If you want to wake up to these views every morning, you may be in luck. There are a number of properties that sit right alongside the water. A good majority of all listings on the market are homes. These homes come with higher prices, but it may be worth it. Some properties come equipped with boat ramps, deck, pools, and more.

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Overview:

Things to Do Tab

Overview: Baytown, Texas, is much more than meets the eye. The once agricultural city is practically bursting with events, amenities, and things to do. Here, you will never get bored. No trip to the city is complete without a trip on the Lynchburg Ferry. It is a fun, historic, and scenic way to see what Baytown is truly about. Hop on to see the San Jacinto Monument, Battle Ground Park, and more. If you’re looking for something to do with the entire family look no further than Baytown’s Pirates Bay Water Park. There are slides, wave pools, surfing pools, and you can get a tan in the meantime. Another must-do is the Battleship Texas. If you’ve ever wanted to spend the night aboard a WWI and WWII US Navy Ship here is your chance. Sleep where actual sailors bunked for the night. The above is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to entertainment as Baytown has loads of parks, shopping, arts, nightlife, and restaurants.

Retail & Entertainment

Parks & Recreation
The city is known for its breathtaking views, so parks and recreation are plentiful. Baytown Nature Center, Eddie V. Gray Wetlands, Jenkins Park, Sylvan Beach Park, and Armand Bayou Nature Center are some of the most popular options in and around the Baytown area.

Shopping
For larger shopping malls in the city San Jacinto Mall, Baytown Shopping Center, and West Town Shopping Center are three of the best. If you are into purchasing from local businesses All About You, Lanie’s Home Decor, and Graceful Beginnings are great selections for clothing, home items, and so on.

Art & Culture
Take a stroll down the Art Center of Baytown located in the ACE District, for paintings, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, and other unique art. Delicious wine tastings can be found at Bay Breeze Wine Trail 146. Or opt for a night of theater or music at Baytown Little Theater or Baytown Symphony Orchestra.

Night Life
Clubs, bars, pubs, lounges — Baytown has everything. Have a relaxed night out on the town at Coyote’s Bar, City Lites, or Dirty D’s Tavern. If dancing is more your style, shake and shimmy the night away at country-themed dance bar The Chute or El Caballo Negro.

Restaurants
There is a variety of local cuisine, cheap eats, and high-end dining in Baytown. The five highest rated restaurants include (1) Buc-Ee’s, (2) Main 101 Grill & Bar, (3) El Toro, (4) Texas Roadhouse, and (5) Monument Inn. The above accounts for a mix of Mexican cuisine, steakhouses, American food, and seafood.

Neighborhoods Tab

Overview: Baytown has a total of 81 different neighborhoods. The city’s most popular neighborhoods stem from the areas of: City Center, Cove/Beach City, SPUR 55/Fm 2354 Rd, W Main St/Sh 146 Hwy, and Bayway Dr/Park Street. Baytown is ranked #23 out of 269, when it comes to neighborhoods with the most diverse suburbs in Texas. The city is also #27 out of 252 for suburbs with the lowest cost of living in Texas and #59 out of 969 for being the most diverse place to live in Texas. A few of the many neighborhoods of Baytown are Roseland Manor, Sterling Baytown, Wooster Heights, Tierra Del Oro, Whispering Pines, Baker Downs, and Ridgewood. A place like Baytown Town Center is perfect for living in downtown. Whereas Treasure Cove would be a perfect neighborhood to raise a family, as it is close to Crockett Elementary, Cedar Bayou J. High School, and Sterling High School.

Local Pros Tab