VOLUME VII: NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHTMontrose, Houston, TexasCompiled by Nikki Davidson
The Montrose neighborhood is a historically posh area that has left tradition in the past. The four-square-mile area is now a bright, saucy entertainment mecca with unbridled individuality. The offbeat neighborhood is also considered one of the strangest but most vibrant places in Houston.

Street musicians, hippies and artists took over the community during the 1960s, and their presence remains today. The LGBTQ+ community has a deep connection with Montrose. And the shops, restaurants and attractions are both luxurious and unusual.

According to the Houston Association of Realtors, homes in Montrose are listed at an average price of $936,640, and the average rent is $2,546 per month. Houses in Montrose have a median build year of 1966 and typically have three bedrooms.
Jobs in MontroseAccording to the Great Houston Partnership, 2021 was the best year on record for Houston's job growth, with 151,800 jobs created in the city during that period.

Sectors that added 10,000 or more jobs in 2021 include the restaurant and bar industry, professional scientific and technical service jobs, health care and social assistance positions, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support services, and employment for workers in the mining and logging industries.

The top employers in the area are the local hospital systems, H-E-B and Walmart.

According to the City of Houston's Planning and Development Department, the last recorded unemployment rate in the Neartown and Montrose neighborhoods was 3%. Meanwhile, 40% of the neighborhood's population earned more than $100,001 in 2015.

Education in MontroseMontrose is part of the Houston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas. There are 274 schools for students in grades K-12 in the metropolitan area. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the district's student-to-teacher ratio is 16.76.Quality of Life in MontroseMontrose is a walkable community; transportation optional. There's a generous amount of green space in the neighborhood despite its heavy density of restaurants, bars and retail establishments.

A 2.3-mile-long municipal park in the neighborhood, Buffalo Bayou Park stretches across 160 acres. Dogs are allowed in the park, and vendors in the natural space rent out bicycles and canoes to visitors.

Shopping, Dining and Entertainment in MontroseMontrose was established as an LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood about 50 years ago, and that presence is still a big part of the community and nightlife today. The area has many popular gay bars, including Numbers, a nightclub with a large dance floor that initially opened as a gay disco in the 1970s during the gay rights movement. Today, it hosts weekly dance nights and concerts on special occasions.

The neighborhood is also home to a quirky set of vintage and antique stores on Westheimer Road. A thriving artistic community operates several boutique home decor stores, and world-class art museums and galleries nearby.

Montrose is also a foodie paradise. Popular eatery options include a late-night classic burger joint, hip steakhouse, quirky gastropub and a fine-dining Mexican restaurant.

Other Notable Facts About Montrose Include:
  • Montrose was a center for health and emotional support for the LGBTQ+ community during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The neighborhood used to have many more gay bars than it does today. 
  • A young Clark Gable once lived in Montrose when he was studying acting. Gable's former home was eventually torn down to make space for luxury apartments. 
  • The neighborhood's official website is HoustonTX.gov.