Channelview, Texas won its quite explanatory name from simple geography: Channelview has a great view of the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel that it sits upon, just along the San Jacinto River.
Channelview, Texas, part of Harris County, was once home to Lorenz de Zavala, a founding father of the Republic of Texas, and is just 15 miles east of Houston
Channelview, Texas won its quite explanatory name from simple geography: Channelview has a great view of the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel that it sits upon, just along the San Jacinto River.
Channelview, Texas, part of Harris County, was once home to Lorenz de Zavala, a founding father of the Republic of Texas, and is just 15 miles east of Houston. The suburb, which is called "an oil refinery suburb of metropolitan Houston" by the Texas State Historical Association, is home to 38,289 residences as of the 2010 Census. Channelview overlooks the conjunction of the San Jacinto River and the start of the Old River, a four-mile channel. The rich history of Channelview dates back to the beginning of Texas, where it was perfectly located for trade with its own port. As the shipping industry grew along the channel, the population boomed. In fact, during World War II, the United States Army Ordnance bought thousands of acres of land for a depot on the San Jacinto River. From the 1960's, all the way through today, the manufacturing industry has exploded, first in 1967 when a Sinclair Petrochemical plant started developing chemicals to make plastics and then in 1981 when Trinity Industries bought up a metal manufacturing company.
Although housing trends change frequently, it is a good idea to get an early start on searching for an apartment to rent in Channelview. While a number of apartment complexes do exist in town, many of the larger ones are frequently at full occupancy, and putting your name on a waiting list months in advance is likely to help your chances of securing the apartment of your dreams.
So what is the housing for rent in Channelview like? Well, it's actually quite diverse, if you can believe that. Expect to find everything from houses divided into multiple units and rented out by the owners to large communities like Channelview's own Melrose Place (no television shows will be filmed here, though, unless you start your own). The most common type of multi-unit housing is in the form of clusters with 10 or more units. In the town, this type of dwelling accounts for 2.4% of all housing, based on just under 300 units. On the other hand, 1.6%, or about 200 units, have five to nine units; 1.5%, or 181 units, have three or four housing units; and 120 units, or 1%, have two units in the building. Overall, 30% of all housing units in Channelview is occupied by renters, with just over 11,000 residents living in those units.
Folks who need to find something to move into quickly should check out houses for rent. While month-to-month prices may present a higher average than units in apartment complexes, the difference in prices for rental houses isn't that significant, and often only amounts to a couple hundred dollars, if that. And, of course, it will give you a ton more room to stow the boxes that you're unlikely to unpack for months!
Another popular option in town is a "mom-and-pop" housing option, where the owners of a house lease out rooms or cordoned-off units to renters. These units are probably the most affordable option -- however, due to the fact that the rental rate is decided at the discretion of the owner, the range of rents can be steep.
Something that many people moving into the area may find appealing is that the average age of housing in the city isn't that old. This makes sense, considering the rapid increase in population over the past few decades. A majority of housing in Channelview was built after 1980, and many homes and apartments were built after 2000. Construction is a popular industry for workers in Channelview (Bob the Builders, head here!), and the expanding town seems to only be growing its numerous housing options.
To secure a place quickly, be sure to show up with all of the important documents that will help you get the place of your dreams. This can include copies of your ID, a credit report, pay stubs or other proof of employment, letters of reference and one of those checks with little puppies on them.
Most of the city offers a variety of types of housing. No matter where you end up living, expect to easily fall in love with the new place you call home.
North Channelview: You may easily find houses for sale in this city, but success is more likely in the northeastern part of town, where there are a number of apartment rentals. Renters likely won't live in the northwest corner if they're interested in apartment complexes.
South Channelview: If you don't own a car, you probably want to consider living in the southern part of the city, near the town center, where restaurants, shops and supermarkets are clustered closer together.
In general, Channelview is considered to have a low, livable cost of living. AreaVibes, a website that uses government data and a combination of average life costs to determine a cost-of-living index number, rates Channelview as having an 81, with a constant national index number of 100. That makes it 19% less expensive to live in Channelview than in the average American city.
Transportation
The roaring industry has made Channelview a highly desirable place to move to. Since 2000, the city's population has grown a staggering 29%, compared to the national average town growth of 10% and Texas's town growth of 21%. Because of this, Channelview has many features expected with suburban sprawl. Public transportation is few and far between, and 96% of working adults commute to their place of employment in a car, spending an average of 26 minutes driving each way. However, access to places near and far is made easier by Channelview's proximity to Interstate 10 and Texas State Highway Beltway 8 -- so don't shy away from taking that job in a neighboring city!
Besides the highways, which make moving to the city quite convenient, there are two airports and two Amtrak train stations within 30 miles of Channelview. This further adds to the town's accessibility and livability significantly.
Since Channelview lies along some of the smaller bays, including Burnet Bay and Crystal Bay, which branch off of Galveston and Trinity Bay, nearly 20% of the town is made of water.
Wining and Dining
When residents get a hankering for some munchies, they head on over to Savannah Cafe and Bakery for a quick sandwich and salad or Andy's BBQ for those down-home smoky Texas flavors. If dates are more on your mind than lunch breaks, take your darling to Tuscany Italian Restaurant for a bowl of pasta (try that old Lady and the Tramp trick!) and a glass of vino.
Famous Residents
Some famous people who call Channelview home, or at least did at one point, include local heroes Chris Sampson and Glenn Wilson, both players on the Houston Astros. You may even spot them walking around town or dining at one of the nearly two dozen restaurants populating the town center. Also, former Chicago Bears player Johnny Knox grew up in town and even attended Channelview High School.
And with Downtown Houston just 15 short miles away, there is always something fun to do just around the corner.
