The energy industry drives this growing Houston suburb
“Small town charm with big city convenience” is how the up-and-coming city of Katy advertises itself. Named for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (KT) Railroad, Katy evolved from a rice-farming community into a hub of the oil industry. It’s a 13-mile drive from Houston’s Energy Corridor, where over 300 oil and gas companies are headquartered. The Corridor’s BP and Shell headquarters are Katy’s top employers. The city is home to over 25,000 people, with over 4,000 moving there after 2019. This recent influx of residents has led to new shopping, dining, housing and parks. Katy’s most prized amenity is its top-rated school district, which has attracted hundreds of families with its acclaimed athletics, academic and arts programs. “It’s like that ‘Field of Dreams’ quote, ‘If you build it, they will come,’” says Charlie Russo, a Katy resident and a broker associate with Re/Max Signature. “We had the land, and it was already a phenomenal school district, so we just needed the people.”
Named after the "K-T Railroad," Katy has deep ties to its rail history.
Established in the late 1800s, Katy was a key stop for trains transporting crops and goods.
Katy's iconic silos stand as a tribute to its rich agricultural and rice-farming history.
La Centerra is the hotspot for community gatherings, shopping and dining.
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Friday Night Lights at the top-rated Katy High School
Katy families can send their children to the A-plus-rated Katy Independent School District, which Niche named the best school district in the Houston area. “Even people moving here from another state have heard of Katy for the school district,” says Jared Greenberg, who lives in Katy and is a Realtor with Keller Williams Premier Realty. “The biggest reason people move to Katy from Houston is because they want to have a family, and they want a better school district.” Katy High School, which has an A grade from Niche, is an academic and athletic powerhouse. The Katy Tigers have won nine state football championships, and the city holds an annual “Champions on the Square” event to honor the award-winning team. Katy is also home to Seven Lakes High School, which Niche named the best public high school in Fort Bend County and gave an A-plus score for its athletics, academics, and fine arts programs. College students can take advantage of the “Start in Katy, Finish in Katy” higher education program, which allows them to start an associate degree at the Houston Community College Katy Campus and then transfer to the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Katy High School is a community of learners who are passionate in Houston.
Experience sports events at Katy's Legacy Stadium.
Seven Lakes High School in Houston is a vibrant hub where ambition takes flight.
Katy Elementary School, in Katy, TX, anchors the community with a legacy since 1898.
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Shopping and satay at Katy Asian Town
Since its grand opening in 1999, the Katy Mills shopping mall has been the largest retail center in the city. It is now home to 175 retail stores, a movie theater and two family-friendly attractions: Typhoon Texas Waterpark and Dig World. Katy Asian Town opened in 2018 next to the established UKaty Mall. It has since become a hot spot for East Asian restaurants and businesses, including the supermarket H Mart. Asian Town is home to Phat Eatery, a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist specializing in Malaysian street food staples like chicken curry and satay, a type of grilled meat. Other long-standing restaurants include Midway BBQ and Snappy’s Café, both on the stretch of Highway Boulevard next to Katy High School. These restaurants have been open for decades and featured in local publications like Katy Magazine.
Katy Mills Mall features over 175 stores, offering a mix of outlet and retail shopping.
Families enjoy a splash-filled day at Typhoon Texas water park.
Snappy’s is a historic diner known for its hearty breakfasts and classic American fare.
Midway BBQ played a part in Katy’s history, tied to its agricultural roots.
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Established homes and recent construction in Katy
Katy has a mix of master-planned communities and traditional suburban neighborhoods. Cinco Ranch is one of the largest and most in-demand neighborhoods in the area, with thousands of homes and master-planned amenities like parks, pools and clubhouses. Grand Lakes, Seven Meadows and Kelliwood are some of Katy’s other sought-after communities due to their zoning to highly rated local schools like Seven Lakes High School. Housing across the city varies from 1,000-square-foot ranch properties to 4,000-square-foot new traditional-style homes. This wide range of residences starts at $150,000 and can go all the way up to $3 million, but the median home price is around $377,000. In 2024, the average Katy home sells in around 31 days, compared to 21 days in 2023. There were over 1,900 homes on the market in September 2024, a 7% increase from the previous month.
Cinco Ranch, a master-planned community, known for its excellent schools and parks.
Katy is home to a variety of traditional homes.
Single-story living in Cinco Ranch provides convenience and comfort.
Katy is a family-friendly community with excellent schools and safe neighborhoods.
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Swimming, strolling and summer fun at Peckham Park
Katy Parks and Recreation Department oversees 10 parks and organizes community events, including seasonal festivals and kids’ summer camps. Three of the city’s largest parks are conveniently located near the public library. Mary Jo Peckham Park is known for its large playground, miniature golf course and rainbow trout fishing at the Family Fishing Lake. The park’s Aquatic and Fitness Center opens in the summer and is free to use. The City of Katy Off-Leash Dog Park, complete with a wading pool and agility course, is attached to Peckham. Katy City Park is on the other side of Peckham Park and has multiple sports facilities for baseball, tennis and rugby.
Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy is a serene haven for fishing enthusiasts.
Katy Dog Park provides a safe space for canine play.
Katy Park hosts youth sports leagues, fostering community engagement.
The park features sports fields, playgrounds, and walking trails.
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From community campouts to the Rice Harvest Festival
Katy puts its Wild West roots front and center. Its origins as a railroad town are the focus of the MKT Railroad Museum, a restored train depot that houses life-sized exhibits and a red caboose car. Less than a mile away, Katy Heritage Park preserves history with century-old homes surrounding an old-fashioned bandstand, which hosts an annual Christmas festival. The community comes alive at annual celebrations like the Katy Rice Harvest Festival, which celebrates the city’s history in the rice industry with live music, food trucks and craft vendors. Other events include the Katy Food Fest every March, the Wild West Brew Fest every April and community campouts in the spring and fall. In the early 20th century, Katy was called the “City of Churches” because of its high concentration of houses of worship. Today, there are still over 70 churches of multiple denominations in Katy.
Explore Katy's railroad history at the Railroad Museum.
The Katy Rice Harvest Festival is held annually in Historic Downtown Katy.
The Katy Heritage Museum connects residents and visitors to the city's rich past.
Katy is home to diverse churches, reflecting its growing and multicultural community.
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Plans for public transport from Harris County MTA
Katy residents can take Interstate 10 directly into the heart of Houston, about a 30-mile drive away. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 45 miles away. Grand Parkway also connects larger western suburbs like Tomball and Sugar Land, each about 30 miles away. Most locals drive, but the Harris County MTA plans to create a new rapid-transit bus system between Houston and Katy by 2027.
Moderate risk of flooding near Houston
Flooding is a widespread problem for the Houston metro, leading Harris County to fund large floodplain and drainage projects. According to First Street, the city of Katy has a moderate risk of flooding, and 76.4% of all properties in Katy are at risk for flooding over the next 30 years. Many subdivisions have received large drainage upgrades to help with flooding. Katy is humid and hot throughout the year, especially during summer. Temperatures are usually in the 50’s between November and March, and the hottest months are between May and September, when it is in the 70’s and 80’s nearly every day.
Property crime and theft are the area’s most common crimes, according to FBI data from 2022. These incidents were most common around Katy’s parks and retail areas. In 2023, Donald Wine, the then-captain of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, shared Katy Magazine that despite Katy’s growing population, violent crime was down 4% — although he did note that sometimes residents hear gunfire during hog hunting season.
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