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    Big-city feel

    This Houston neighbor named one of America's 5 best under-the-radar 'burbs

    John Egan
    Oct 8, 2020 | 9:35 am
    Armand Bayou Pasadena canoe
    Spots such as Armand Bayou have made Pasadena attractive to buyers.
    Armand Bayou/Facebook

    A new ranking from real estate platform Zillow and review platform Yelp could trigger an influx of new residents into Pasadena.

    The ranking, released October 7, puts Pasadena at No. 5 among the country’s top 10 under-the-radar suburbs, based on housing affordability coupled with urban amenities. It’s the only Texas suburb to make the list.

    In placing Pasadena in their Cityness Index, Zillow and Yelp cite the suburb’s typical home value of $168,080, which they say is 14 percent below that of Houston. They also hail local businesses Sycamore Grounds and Credeur’s Cajun Cookin’, along with the Armand Bayou Nature Center.

    To develop the list, Zillow and Yelp combed through data for suburbs in the country’s 50 largest metro areas. At No. 1 on the list is Waterbury, Connecticut, followed by Lowell, Massachusetts; Joliet, Illinois; Sunrise, Florida; and Pasadena, which is home to more than 150,000 people.

    Zillow and Yelp zeroed in on relatively affordable areas near major metros that offer big-city amenities. Key metrics included home values compared with the nearest big cities and the country at large, housing availability, mix and diversity of businesses, and consumer reviews and check-ins.

    “For city dwellers who don’t want to sacrifice great amenities like restaurants, art galleries, and nightlife, but are dreaming of a little more space and a more affordable lifestyle, these suburbs offer a similar variety of great local businesses,” Yelp trend expert Tara Lewis says in a release about the ranking.

    Pasadena scored 60.5 on the Cityness Index, compared with 67.6 for first-place Waterbury.

    “We are seeing extremely strong housing demand due to low interest rates, and more and more millennials and Gen Zers reaching prime home-buying age,” Zillow senior economist Cheryl Young says. “This demand is also driving up prices and depleting inventory. Young people looking to buy and find space for their expanding families can bid farewell to big-city premiums without giving up the feel of a city in amenity-rich suburbs.”

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    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Predicting Texas Monthly's 2025 best BBQ list and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    May 24, 2025 | 10:59 am
    Truth BBQ tray
    Courtesy of Truth BBQ
    Houstonians might riot if Truth BBQ falls out of the top 10.

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, beginning with our predictions on an anticipated barbecue ranking. Plus, two Houston suburbs find the spotlight, and a fancy burger joint says goodbye. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then head to this guide to find the best Memorial Day weekend events.

    1. Predicting 13 barbecue joints that could make Texas Monthly's new top 10. On May 27, Texas Monthly will publish its latest ranking of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. Before the list drops, CultureMap's Eric Sandler shares his predictions on who will make the cut.

    2. 10 Houston restaurants spicing up brunch with fresh new flavors. A wave of new and established Houston restaurants are rolling out fresh takes on everyone's favorite weekend indulgence. These 10 new options are delivering bold brunches with global influences and tipsy tinctures.

    3. East Coast-inspired tavern shakes up Rice Village with 'World's Coldest Martini'. The “World’s Coldest Martini” has arrived in Rice Village with the opening of Hudson House's second Houston-area location.

    4. 2 Houston neighbors shine as top-10 best places to live in the U.S. The Houston suburbs of Pearland and League City have landed among the top three best places to live in 2025, according to U.S. News & World Report.

    Pearland water towerAll eyes are on Pearland. City of Pearland - Government/Facebook

    5. Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter. The original location of Ben Berg’s fancy burger joint will soon serve its last meal.


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    news/city-life

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