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Living in
Friendswood.
About
Life in Friendswood
If you're considering Friendswood as a place to raise a family or settle down near Houston, understand that you're looking at a solidly affluent suburban community where about two-thirds of households are married couples and nearly 40% have children under 18. The median household income is solid at $125,000, homes average around $400,000, and the unemployment rate of 4.0% reflects a stable job market. Schools are split between two districts depending on where you live relative to Clear Creek, and with a college degree rate near 50%, education is clearly prioritized here.
Friendswood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Foreign-Born
8.5%
Broadband Internet
96.6%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.5% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Friendswood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Friendswood, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (16.3%), and 6.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.4%
of households
Married Couples
62.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% above TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Friendswood
In Friendswood, rent runs 20% above the TX average, and home values are 48% above the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,338
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $456,873 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Friendswood
Unemployment in Friendswood is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Friendswood Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.6 min avg
How Friendswood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Friendswood, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 33 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 75% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Friendswood runs 75% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
82.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
517.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Friendswood Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Galveston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Galveston County, which includes Friendswood, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Rip Current | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $145,000 |
| 2023 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $301,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Drought | $41,500 |
| 2021 | 15 | Rip Current | $13.3M |
| 2020 | 11 | Funnel Cloud | $16,510 |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Flash Flood | $1.1M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Galveston County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Galveston County, which includes Friendswood, is typically good — 218 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
218
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Galveston County, county-wide
Climate93°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Friendswood has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/62°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/63°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
101
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 46°F | 3.63" |
| Feb | 68°F | 50°F | 2.94" |
| Mar | 74°F | 55°F | 2.84" |
| Apr | 80°F | 62°F | 3.67" |
| May | 86°F | 70°F | 5.13" |
| Jun | 91°F | 75°F | 5.21" |
| Jul | 93°F | 76°F | 4.21" |
| Aug | 94°F | 76°F | 5.63" |
| Sep | 90°F | 72°F | 5.40" |
| Oct | 83°F | 63°F | 5.77" |
| Nov | 73°F | 54°F | 4.21" |
| Dec | 66°F | 48°F | 4.68" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Friendswood
Uninsured
6.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Friendswood's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Webster
Memorial Hermann Houston Physicians Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Webster
Medical Behavioral Hospital of Clear Lake, Llc
Psychiatric · 5.8 mi away · Clear Lake City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Friendswood
Friendswood's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 52.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Friendswood (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 22,969 students · in-state tuition $2,490 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,048 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
7.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,078 students · in-state tuition $7,770 · 64% graduate · median earnings $61,521 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,368 students · in-state tuition $2,310 · 34% graduate · median earnings $45,131 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,342 students · in-state tuition $1,906 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,073 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 82 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Friendswood
Friendswood has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (82 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Friendswood
Friendswood Public Library
416 S Friendswood Dr, Friendswood
Cities Near Friendswood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Friendswood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Friendswood FAQ
Is Friendswood, Texas affordable?⌄
Friendswood's median rent is $1,688/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $126,508/year. Median home value is $420,100.
Is Friendswood, Texas safe?⌄
Friendswood's violent crime rate was 82 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 517 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Friendswood, Texas?⌄
Friendswood has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Friendswood, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Friendswood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,688/month and median household income is $126,508/year. The median home value is $420,100. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Friendswood, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Friendswood is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from