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2 Houston suburbs named best places to raise a family in Texas for 2021

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If you're looking to start or add to your brood, you'll want to be located in these highly sought-after Texas areas. That's according to Niche, the online platform that helps people choose schools and places to live.

It just released its rankings of the Best Places to Raise a Family in Texas, and two Houston spots make the top five: The Woodlands is No. 3, followed by Cinco Ranch at No. 4.

The Woodlands also shows up on Niche's list of the Best Cities to Live, claiming the top spot in the nation.

Niche used weighted data to arrive at its rankings, with its own public school grades comprising the largest chunk of the score (20 percent).

Next is the percentage of residents who have received a bachelor’s degree or higher (12.5 percent), and the cost of living grade, violent and property crime rates, and a housing grade (which includes home values, property taxes, housing costs, and more) all weighing in at 10 percent.

Other factors such as family amenities (access to parks, libraries, and cultural events), outdoor activities, walkability, diversity, and an overall score determined by Niche users on a scale of 1-5.

The percentage of households with children under the age of 18 also figured in, obviously.

Rounding out the top five in Texas are the Austin town of Rollingwood at No. 1, Cottonwood Creek (a DFW neighborhood in Richardson that Niche, for some reason, identifies as Cotten Creek South) at No. 2, and Coppell, located in the northwest corner of Dallas, at No. 5.

This is the seventh consecutive year that Niche has produced these rankings, spanning 228 cities and 18,516 towns and neighborhoods.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

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