roomiematch.com’s Houston roommate rundown:

Houston is the most populated city in Texas (about 2.3 million) over a sprawling metropolitan area. It’s one of the nation’s largest metros geographically. It’s more than twice the size of Rhode Island.

So large in large part because their real estate development SPRAWLED. Many say Houston’s lack of zoning kept it affordable, with a low cost of living for a large city in Texas – lower than both Dallas and Austin.

However, it also keeps spreading out (and out, and out again), virtually ensuring Houstonians remain automobile dependent. Much was built on forests, marshes, and swamps, with mostly flat terrain and four bayous passing through. Houston now has over 650 square miles of developed gulf coastal plain and prairie, some now prone to flooding.

Most Houstonians feel their highway system makes driving around Houston relatively easy, except for construction (somewhere, always) and rush hour (7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.). During rush hour, traffic often crawls to a halt.

Other than a few limited areas near downtown, Houston isn’t friendly to pedestrians and bicycles. However, a number of non-profits are working on changing that. You can bicycle in Houston on 160 miles of dedicated bikeway, so far. Which is not enough to bicycle through any meaningful percentage of Houston . . . right now. But stay tuned.

Houston also has a reputation as hot and dangerous. Both the weather and the Houstonians.

The reference to crime could be described as both deserved and undeserved. While their violent crime rate is high, it concentrates a lot in neighborhoods known for gang activity. Generally, it’s best to be aware where you are at all times, don’t explore areas new to you all by yourself after dark, and stay out of deserted areas entirely.

But with regard to the weather? Entirely deserved.

Well. The weather in Houston from October to April is usually pleasant. Other months locals just shake their heads at heat-exhausted newcomers. “No, it’s NOT a dry heat.”

It’s often extremely hot, but with a thick and enveloping humidity. It exceeds 90F most days from June to September. Until you’re used to it or perhaps forever, limit your time outside in the summer between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., protect your skin (clothing/sunscreen/hat/all of the above) when you are outside, and hydrate at all times. Consider heatstroke an ongoing threat.

So you and your roommates will need a car to leave your immediate Houston neighborhood, almost always. And it must be air-conditioned. You need air conditioning indoors most places during the day as well. These things are all true most of the year. Newbies to Houston: Don’t even argue or you might just die.

You also need to beware of hurricanes, flooding, and mosquitoes.

But hey, Houston also distinguishes itself with over 70,000 acres of dedicated parkland, for a grand total of 337 parks. Not even going to list all, but even 25% would be way more park than you could manage to explore anytime soon. You move to Houston? You’re set for parks! (but go on a cooler day)

There’s also the Big Thicket. That’s the name given to over 100,000 acres of heavily forested Houston/Southeast Texas, recognized as containing several of its own ecosystems plus incredibly high animal and plant diversity. Some say it’s the most biologically diverse area in the world! It’s also now recognized as its own biosphere and national preserve. You and your roommates probably don’t require the Big Thicket for anything practical, but you should probably go look. Just to experience it.

Because how many get a Big Thicket as interesting as all that? Near(ish) where you live inside a real city, even?

Only Houstonians. Everyone else can visit, but the Big Thicket belongs to Houston.