Quality of Life

Entergy-Texas starts at the southeast Texas/Louisiana border and stretches up into the piney woods of east Texas, down to the Gulf of Mexico and across to the lake country north of Houston.

It is a region offering quiet towns, busy highways, year-round outdoor recreation and a mild, enjoyable climate.

Cultural and entertainment opportunities are vast.

The Woodlands, Conroe and Huntsville form the borders of the Texas Lake Country near Houston, where lakes and forests make room for outdoor enthusiasts.

Southeast Texas, the birthplace of the oil industry, encompasses miles of rivers and fields.

OUTDOOR LIVING
The region's location and seasonal rains provide water in many forms, from the Gulf of Mexico to rivers, lakes, streams and creeks for renowned fishing, boating, skiing and weekend fun. Southeast Texas is home to eight national parks/forests and over 50 parks, playgrounds and ballparks. The Texas Lake Country has acres of national and state parks for camping and relaxing plus over 40 miles of hiking and bike paths. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail loops through southeast Texas. The lumber industry opens tens of thousands of acres of forest to the public every year for hunting. Golf is a year-round sport and preference in the region, with the Lake Country leading the state of Texas with more holes of golf per capita.

LAKES/BEACHES/RIVERS
Gulf of Mexico
Neches & Sabine River
Sam Rayburn & Toledo Bend Reservoir
Sea Rim State Park

CULTURE
Southeast Texas sights and excitements include: art galleries and studios, musical organizations from barber shop to jazz, and ballet and dance groups. Twenty-four museums feature historic city homes and tributes to the people and events that shaped the area earning the Beaumont area the title of Museum Capital of Texas.

The Texas Lake Country offers 20 outstanding visual and performing art facilities, and outdoor celebrations from the Renaissance Festival to rodeos.

Houston, a short drive away, is a cultural center and one of four cities in the nation with full-time productions in symphony and orchestra, grand opera, ballet and theater.

HUMAN INTEREST
Southeast Texas supports the Lamar University System, its adult education, arts and music. The Lake Country touts 18 universities, junior colleges, community colleges and seminaries within commuting distance.

Both areas maintain large hospitals and specialized treatment centers in addition to the world-class facilities available in nearby Houston.

Location, again, makes getting around and going places easy with major highways intersecting the region. The Texas Lake Country is just minutes from Bush Intercontinental Airport and flights to every major world city.

The American Chamber of Commerce Researchers' Association (ACCRA) compiles a quarterly cost of living report for 300 cities across the United States. The figures below are from the second quarter, 2007 report. The figures are relative to the national average (100.0).

COST OF LIVING INDEX (2007-Q4)

APARTMENT COSTS
The average rental cost for a 2-bedroomapartment, unfurnished, excluding all utilities except water, and approximately 950 sq. ft. is $743.

HOUSING COSTS
The average purchase price for a 2400 sq ft home on an 8000 sq ft lot, 4 BR, 2 baths, is $263,283.

HEALTH CARE

RELIGIOUS FACILITIES
Twenty-two different denominations and faiths are represented in Southeast Texas. There are 38 Catholic churches, 2 Jewish Temples and 357 facilities for other denominations.

COMMUNICATIONS
There are three local television stations, ABC-12, CBS-6, NBC-4; 17 Radio Stations, AM and FM; and three daily newspapers in the area.

LIBRARIES
The Lamar University Libraries contain over 1,150,000 volumes. The City of Beaumont Library includes 5 facilities with 298,495 total volumes while the City of Port Arthur Library contains 147,583 volumes.

CLIMATE
Annual precipitation: 52.9"
Elevations are from sea level to 50 feet.

Average Temperature

The area has 20 days per year with temperatures 32 degrees or lower and 96 days per year with temperatures 90 degrees or more.

QUALITY OF LIFE
Conroe-The Woodlands-Huntsville
"Houston’s playground" has a quality of life all its own. Among the region’s attractions: renowned fishing and boating in the 82,500-acre Lake Livingston, resort-filled Lake Conroe, marina-dotted Galveston Bay and Trinity Bay, more holes of golf per capita than anywhere in Texas, the Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion, state and national forests, and more miles of hiking and biking trails than anyone can easily calculate. There’s history across the region and especially in Huntsville, home of Texas’ first hero and President, Sam Houston. And of course Houston is a heartbeat away - the nation’s ninth largest city offers its world-class shopping, entertainment, museums and sporting events. The Woodlands offers 1.4 million square feet of shopping in their mall and Conroe has a factory outlet mall with over 80 stores.

Within 50 miles are internationally known universities, medical research and treatment facilities and space and aeronautics facilities. Houston's world class port and intercontinental airport provide outstanding transportation. The climate, beautiful lakes and numerous recreational facilities promote sporting events, theater events and culinary events. Chili and bar-b-que cook-offs, arts and crafts fairs, livestock shows and rodeos celebrate the Texas heritage.

CULTURAL FACILITIES
Conroe:
Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival
Crighton Theatre
Crighton Community Playhouse
Heritage Museum
Texas Renaissance Festival

The Woodlands:
The Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pavilion
The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra

Huntsville:
Sam Houston Park and Museum

HEALTH CARE

PARKS & RECREATION
Huntsville:
Sam Houston National Forest
Huntsville State Park
Lake Livingston - 82,500 acres
Blue Lagoon Dive Park
Sam Houston Memorial Museum Complex
Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center

Conroe:
Lake Conroe - 22,000 acres
Golf - 3 public courses, 5 private
12 city parks - 269 acres

The Woodlands:
Lake Woodlands - 203 acres
The Woodlands Athletic Center
Neighborhood parks
Hike and bike paths - 70 miles
The Woodlands Country Club
YMCA
The Woodlands Teen Center
PGA Tournament Players Course TM

RELIGIOUS FACILITIES
Huntsville: 68
The Woodlands: 34

COST OF LIVING
The American Chamber of Commerce Researchers' Association (ACCRA) compiles a quarterly cost of living report for 300 cities across the United States. The figures below are from the second quarter, 2007 report. The figures are relative to the national average (100.0).

COST OF LIVING INDEX (2007-Q4)

APARTMENT COSTS
The average rental cost for a 2-bedroom apartment, unfurnished, excluding all utilities except water, and approximately 950 sq. ft. is $945.

HOUSING COSTS
The average purchase price for a 2400 sq ft home on an 8000 sq ft lot, 4 BR, 2 baths, is $205,348.

TRANSPORTATION
AIR
National and international service is available through Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston, 35 miles from the center of this region. Approximately 25 major airlines including American, Delta, Continental, Piedmont, Republic, Air France, KLM, Texas Air, British Air Ways, and British Caledonia serve the airport. Private and corporate service is available at Montgomery County Airport and Walker County Airport with 6,000 ft. and 5,000 ft. paved runways and hangar services available.

HIGHWAYS
Interstate 45 runs through the center of this region north and south with U.S. Highways 75, 105, 190, and other paved state and local highways providing adequate access to all areas of the region. These also connect to U.S. Hwy. 59 running N.E. - S.W. through Houston approximately 20 miles away. The Hardy Toll Road and Sam Houston Tollway provide quick access from the north to Intercontinental Airport and the west side of Houston. Park & Ride facilities are conveniently located.

COMMUNICATIONS
There are eleven television stations; 56 radio stations (AM and FM); and four daily newspapers in the area.

Huntsville:
television 1
radio 4
newspaper 1

LIBRARIES
The Montgomery County Central Library has a large collection of local history books and Texana, and hold the fourth largest genealogical section in Texas. The Central Library and the five branches of the Montgomery County Library System contain over 300,000 volumes.

CLIMATE
Winter - Temperatures Fall below freezing only on an average of one day a year. Cloudiness and fog are more prevalent than in other seasons, yet the area continues to receive about 50 percent of the total sunshine possible.

Summer - Hot and humid, with little variation in day-to-day conditions except for occasional thundershowers that help to dissipate afternoon heat.

Spring/Fall - The most delightful seasons of the year, featuring moderate temperatures and long periods of sunny days and cool nights.

Winds - Southerly to southeasterly except in January, when they shift to the north.

Thunderstorms - Provide most of the abundant precipitation, which peaks in April and May and again in September.

Growing Season - Averages 265 days. The frost-free period extends from March 7 to November 27.

Annual precipitation - 38.21

Source: Office of the Texas State Climatologist, Department of Meteorology, Texas A & M University