From a railroad station to vegetable shipping center, anti-aircraft training base and, more recently a place of living for employees at the Johnson Space Center, Hitchcock, TX, certainly has a history as rich and diverse as its community.
No, the name of Hitchcock, TX doesn't have anything to do with a certain famous English movie maker, but it sure was the setting for a couple of interesting ventures throughout the years
From a railroad station to vegetable shipping center, anti-aircraft training base and, more recently a place of living for employees at the Johnson Space Center, Hitchcock, TX, certainly has a history as rich and diverse as its community.
No, the name of Hitchcock, TX doesn't have anything to do with a certain famous English movie maker, but it sure was the setting for a couple of interesting ventures throughout the years. The city saw its first residents in 1873 when it was established as a railway station between Galveston and Houston. Around the turn of the 20th century it was a vegetable shipping center, but all kinds of critters invaded the produce and killed the economy until World War II when Camp Wallace and the Hitchcock Naval Air Station were established in the area. With the development of the Johnson Space Center only twenty minutes away, Hitchcock became a suburb of Galveston and experienced new growth. Seeing people on horses in Hitchcock is not uncommon - living here, you will experience plenty of cowboy-sightings, as the town has been hosting the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo since 1984. There are also plenty of other opportunities to meet locals, such as the Good Ole Days Parade in August and the Christmas Parade in December every year.
Moving to a place is a bit more involved than looking at rental properties on the Internet. To avoid disappointment you will need to know what you are in for. When you search for apartments in Hitchcock, Texas, it is worth knowing how the rental market is doing before meeting up with prospective landlord or rental agents.
Availability
Sniffing out the perfect pad for you might not be as easy as you had hoped. According to census data, about 60 percent of property owners occupy their own housing units, leaving only 30 percent for puppy-eyed tenants. Rental properties go like hot cakes, so if you see something you like, be sure to book that appointment immediately before someone else snatches it up.
Size
Most housing units in Hitchcock, TX, are single, detached units, which mean you will mostly be encountering family homes during your search. Apartment complexes are few and far between. Don't bank on finding many one bedroom apartments for rent, there are just over 200 of them out of the 3,000-odd housing units in the area. Studio apartments are even harder to find, while 3 bedroom units are the most abundant at 60 percent of the total amount of housing units. If you find a bigger place a tad too much for your budget, you may want to start searching for a housemate.
Costs
One of the greatest benefits of living in Hitchcock is that it is cheap, even if you don't find any all bills paid apartments. People in Hitchcock pay about 12 percent less for housing, groceries, transport and utilities than in the rest of Texas. If you compare the cost of living with that of other Americans, you save even more: life here is 20 percent cheaper than the national average. Statistically, the average rental rate may be a bit high compared to other places in Texas, but this can be attributed to the lack of apartments and other smaller housing units.
Signing the Lease
Okay - hold your horses. Once you have located a place you are interested in, you are still a couple of steps away from signing the lease. First you need to ensure that your landlord likes you. Arriving on time for your meeting, being civil and knowledgeable about Rodeo may get you a long way, but what he will actually be looking for is proof that you can afford the place. You will need to provide your social security number and other details so he can do a credit check and a proof of income that shows that you are well within means to pay rent every month. A security check will help to get the deal done.
Hughes Settlement: This neighborhood is exactly what the name implies: a settlement. It is a very rural area, with large properties sparsely scattered throughout. If you love horses and care about animal welfare, you may however become a regular visitor, as the Habitat for Horses is situated here.
Fairwood: This is another tiny neighborhood, with less than 30 people occupying the space. There are no apartment buildings in this area.
Harborwalk: This is a beautiful, upscale development with a Yacht Club, flamingo bar, restaurant and fitness as well as spa facilities. All of the houses in this waterfront village are built in such a way that they all get stunning ocean and water views.
Hitchcock City Center: This is an established neighborhood, with mostly medium to small sized housing units. This is where you will find your main apartment communities, such as Oaks of Hitchcock Apartments. Residents do all of their basic business and shopping along Highway 6, where most of the businesses are located.
Hitchcock, TX is a peaceful, tranquil place and a great option if you need to commute. It is within short driving distance of major cities so, if you own a car, it is easy to find things to do. For this very reason, most people here own cars and drive it alone, although workers from the Space Center also like to carpool and split the costs. The average commute to work for most residents is about 20 minutes. Apart from watching cowboys at the Rodeo, there are many attractions in the vicinity. Shopaholics may want to visit the Historic Strand area on Galveston Island and reward their patient partners with a relaxing ride in a horse drawn carriage. Browse the art galleries of the Arts/Entertainment District in Galveston and stay to watch a live performance at the Grand Opera House. To witness samples of beautiful 1800s architecture, take a tour of the Moody Mansion or the Ashton Villa. For history buffs, Seawolf Park is the place to be and enjoy a ride on the Colonel Paddle Wheeler, or go see the 1877 three-masted sailing ship, the Elissa at the Galveston Seaport Museum. There is also still the Railroad Museum, Mardi Gras Museum and Galveston County Museum. For a family-friendly adrenaline rush, there are always the Pleasure Pier amusement parks. If all of this sounds a bit too busy, you can always just put your feet up, relax and enjoy spectacular views over crystal clear water.
