QUALITY OF LIFE
In Baytown and across Chambers County, residents enjoy affordable living just a short drive from Houston. According to Best Places, the housing score for Baytown is just 62.4 and just 63.7 for Anahuac. That kind of affordability means more space in family budgets, with amenities and opportunities to flourish in every area of life, including:
Education that empowers.
Choice plus quality creates an empowering equation in Baytown-Chambers County. Families can choose either private or public options and school systems where high school graduation rates, ACT and SAT scores are all above the state average; where state-of-the-art facilities host everything from robotics to athletics; and where career tracks promise a high-powered college and career jumpstart. And with post-secondary choices like Lee College, University of Houston and Rice University, area students can rise to the top of any field.
Leading healthcare here and nearby.
Living well is easier thanks to exceptional, accessible healthcare that includes Houston Methodist Baytown, part of the Houston Methodist system recognized by U.S. News as the nation’s #1 hospital over a dozen consecutive years. And just minutes away are other world-class providers like Texas Children’s Hospital and the renowned UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, one of the nation’s top hospitals for cancer care.
Abundant recreation. Abounding adventure.
In a county where parks and recreational facilities are always nearby, residents work together to play together: Patsy’s Destiny, Baytown’s wheelchair accessible park and trail, was created in large part through 4,000 hours of volunteer labor. And recreation here is both people-friendly and environmentally sustainable. Opened in December 2023, the innovative double-loop Tabbs Bay Golf Course is a true game changer in more ways than one: A publicly owned facility providing play from 9 to 36 holes, Tabbs Bay Golf Course uses 30% less water, 33% less land than traditional courses. Golfers also find great play at the Chambers County Golf Course, cited by GOLFNOW for its “terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level” and the Eagle Pointe Golf Course, an 18-hole championship club course that has hosted the Texas Senior Open among other events.
Outdoor adventures abound in parks across the county and in two nationally significant natural attractions: The Baytown Nature Center, a site listed on the Great Texas Birding Trail, and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.
Stretching across a 500-acre peninsula surrounded by three scenic bays, the Nature Center provides a habitat for more than 300 species of resident and migrant birds, as well as numerous aquatic species. It’s also a refuge for individuals and families seeking immensely satisfying outdoor experiences, with seven miles of trails plus playgrounds, kayak launches, fishing piers, pavilions, picnic shelters and overlooks. Inviting Center events include the Annual Nurture Nature Festival; the Full Moon Hike, a nighttime walk through the Center; and the monthly Audubon Bird Survey.
From migratory birds to bobcats to gators, wildlife is rich across the bayous, marshes and prairies of this 34,000-acre refuge. A birdwatcher’s paradise, Anahuac is also a great location for wade, pier and boat fishing for speckled trout, redfish and flounder, with waterfowl hunting available seasonally. Hiking, biking, beach combing are also popular, and wildlife watching is superb whether on foot, in a boat or even in a vehicle on the 2.64 mile loop offering convenient pull-offs for photography.
Vibrant experiences in history, culture and the arts.
History isn’t just taught in this area, it’s experienced through a living history museum and monuments, while the arts are always center stage at the Baytown Little Theatre and the Baytown Symphony Orchestra in residence at Lee College’s Performing Arts Center. The sculpture trail is just one of the highlights of Baytown’s downtown ACE (Arts, Culture and Entertainment) district, even as popular vineyards and an all-season calendar of crowd-pleasing festivals help residents savor life all year round.