77058 — Clear Lake / NASA

Clear Lake / NASA covers ZIP code 77058, a suburban-scale slice of the Houston metro with 18,572 residents spread over 8.5 square miles. At about 2,185 people per square mile, it reads as a car-oriented community of subdivisions, arterial retail, and pockets of green space rather than a dense urban grid. This is a working- and middle-income area. The median household income of $66,471 runs about 22% below the $84,833 Houston median, a profile common to neighborhoods anchored by service, trade, and hourly employment.

The population skews prime working age (median age 38.1) and mixed, averaging 1.82 people per household. With a diversity index of 55.9/100, 77058 is more racially and ethnically diverse than the typical Houston ZIP. The largest groups are White (61.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (21.1%).

Put in context, 77058's median home value of $244,800 sits 19% below the Houston-area median home value of $301,548. Both figures remain below the U.S. median home value (near $340,000 nationally), underscoring the relative affordability that continues to draw movers to the Houston metro. Educational attainment — 43.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, versus the 35% metro average — reinforces the area's higher-skill, higher-earning profile.

With a price-to-income ratio of 3.7, buying here remains realistic for local earners. The $244,800 median home is about 3.7 times median income — modestly above the classic 3x rule but well within reach for households with steady dual incomes. As a rough yardstick, a household would want income near $81,600 to buy at the local median under conventional guidelines.

Renting is reasonably balanced: at $1,362/month, median rent absorbs about 25% of median income, inside the 30% comfort threshold. This is a renter-majority ZIP — only 30.9% of homes are owner-occupied — so turnover is higher and the housing stock leans toward apartments and leased units. Annualized, the typical renter pays about $16,344 per year for housing.

Commutes are a genuine selling point: the average one-way trip is 26 minutes, shorter than the 28-minute metro norm. Like most of the metro, this is a driving neighborhood: 78.4% of workers commute by car alone and transit use sits at just 1.5%.

Day to day, residents have roughly 46 restaurants, 2 grocery stores, 15 parks, and 1 gyms within or near the ZIP. Health care is close at hand with 1 hospital and 2 pharmacies in the area. Notable nearby draws include NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Armand Bayou Nature Center, Kemah Boardwalk Nearby.

Who does 77058 suit best? On the data, it fits first-time buyers watching their budget. The main caution is flood exposure — this is a FEMA AE zone with 6 declared flood events since 2000, so insurance and elevation deserve a hard look before committing.