Living in Tomball ISD: A Relocation Guide

If you’re relocating to Northwest Houston and schools are high on your list, Tomball ISD will likely come up early. The district combines strong state accountability ratings, a mix of established and brand-new neighborhoods, and quick access to the SH-249 and Grand Parkway corridors. It also still has small-town character around historic downtown Tomball. This guide covers what the district is, which communities it serves, how commutes work, what to know about property taxes and MUDs, and where people spend their weekends.

Important: school zoning. District and attendance-zone boundaries do not follow city names or ZIP codes. Some homes with a “Tomball” or “Cypress” mailing address are not in Tomball ISD, and some neighborhoods are split between districts. Tomball ISD has also been rezoning in phases as it opens new schools. Before you write an offer, confirm the school assignment for the exact address with Tomball ISD’s Attendance Zone Map or by calling the district at 281-357-3100. Zoning described here is a starting point, not a guarantee.

Tomball ISD at a glance

• Founded: 1908
• Size: about 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, roughly 30 miles from downtown Houston
• Enrollment: more than 23,300 students across 26 campuses (per the district, August 2026)
• 2026 TEA rating: A (92), the district’s seventh consecutive “A” under the state’s A–F system
• High schools: Tomball High School, Tomball Memorial High School, Tomball Star Academy (early college), and the new Tomball West High School (opened 2026)
• District office: 310 S. Cherry St., Tomball, TX 77375

The district covers the city of Tomball and spreads outward in several directions. It runs east along FM 2920 toward the SH-249 corridor and Northpointe, northeast into The Woodlands’ Village of Creekside Park, and south and west into the northern part of the 77429 and 77433 ZIP codes, which many buyers assume are Cy-Fair ISD.

School highlights

State ratings. On August 14, 2026, Tomball ISD announced it had again earned an overall “A” rating of 92 from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for 2026. According to the district, 18 of 23 rated campuses earned an “A”. The district also says it is the only A-rated school district in both Harris and Montgomery counties. Tomball High School and Tomball Memorial High School each earned straight A’s across all three domains for the third consecutive year, and Tomball Star Academy did the same for the fifth year in a row.

For reference, TEA’s published 2025 ratings gave the district an A (92), with Tomball High School at A (92), Tomball Memorial High School at A (96), and Tomball Star Academy at A (99). Campus-level 2026 scores are available on TXschools.gov. Ratings change every year, so check the current report for the specific campuses your address is zoned to.

New campuses and rezoning. Tomball ISD is growing, and the district is in the final phase of a multi-year District Zone Reset:

• West Elementary opened in 2024–25 and West Intermediate in 2025–26 on a 205-acre campus complex off Juergen Road.
• Tomball West High School (17803 Cypress Heights Dr.) held its grand opening in July 2026. It started with grades 9–10 in 2026–27 and is scheduled to serve all four grades by 2028–29.
• In 2026–27, Creekside Park Junior High became Creekside Park, a grades 5–8 campus, and the Woodlands-area elementary schools (Creekside Forest, Creekview, Timber Creek) moved to K–4.

What this means for buyers: the high school a neighborhood fed into a few years ago may not be the one it feeds into today. Always check the current zone map.

Neighborhoods and master-planned communities zoned to Tomball ISD

Below are communities we could confirm as served by Tomball ISD from district, developer, or other published sources. Campus assignments are listed only where a source names them, and every one should be re-checked against the district map for the specific address.

Creekside Park & Creekside Park West (The Woodlands)

Starter page: Creekside Park & Creekside Park West overview →

The Village of Creekside Park is the newest village of The Woodlands and the only one in Harris County. It is zoned to Tomball ISD rather than Conroe ISD. Creekside Park West is the western section, built around a village center with an H-E-B, a Cinépolis luxury cinema, restaurants, and a Lone Star College center nearby. Residents get The Woodlands’ trail and park network along with nearby Spring Creek greenbelt areas. Tomball ISD’s planning maps place this area in the Creekview, Timber Creek, and Creekside Forest Elementary zones (which one depends on the address), and the area is served by Creekside Park (the former Creekside Park Junior High, which became the district’s only grades 5–8 campus in August 2026). High school: published local sources report that Creekside Park stayed zoned to Tomball High School when the 2026–27 high school boundaries were redrawn for Tomball West. Confirm the assignment for the specific address. Taxes and utilities: Creekside Park is the one part of The Woodlands in Harris County, so its bill includes Harris County units and Harris County ESD 11 rather than Montgomery County. Water and sewer come from Harris-Montgomery Counties MUD 386, whose latest posted rate is $0.43 per $100 (its 2026 rate had not been posted as of early October 2026). Homes also pay The Woodlands Township tax, which the Township board set at $0.1694 per $100 for 2026 (down from $0.1714). Because Creekside Park pays Tomball ISD, Harris County, and MUD 386 rates, its all-in rate runs noticeably higher than Woodlands villages on the Montgomery County side, so ask for an address-level estimate. Sub-neighborhood association dues (for example, gated sections): [VERIFY].

Northpointe area (FM 2920 at SH-249)

Starter page: Northpointe area overview →

“Northpointe” refers to a cluster of established subdivisions south of FM 2920 near SH-249, including Northpointe Forest, Lakes at Northpointe, and Enclave at Northpointe. Mature trees, quick access to the tollway, and established neighborhood amenities are the draws. Published neighborhood information lists Northpointe Forest as zoned to Lakewood Elementary, Northpointe Intermediate, Willow Wood Junior High, and Tomball Memorial High School. Other sections may differ, so check each address.

Rosehill Reserve (off FM 2920, west of Tomball)

Starter page: Rosehill Reserve overview →

A newer master-planned community off FM 2920 with lakes, walking trails, pocket parks, and a resort-style pool. Builders have included Gehan (now Brightland), CastleRock, Lennar, and Chesmar, and new-home listing sites currently describe the community as largely sold out. Older new-home listings name Rosehill Elementary, Tomball Intermediate, Tomball Junior High, and Tomball High School. Heads-up on high school: Tomball West High School now lists Rosehill Elementary as a feeder school, and a July 2026 MLS listing in Rosehill Reserve Section 3 describes the home as zoned to Tomball West. Intermediate and junior high assignments may have shifted with the same rezoning, so confirm every campus for the specific address on Tomball ISD’s Attendance Zone Map. Utilities: Harris Central Appraisal District data show the community is served by Harris County MUD 542 (the district operator’s boundary map shows the Rosehill Reserve sections inside it). Its 2025 rate is $1.07 per $100, down from $1.11 in 2024 (HCAD). HOA: managed through a professional management company, with dues reported at about $900 a year on older listings and $1,150 a year on a 2026 MLS listing, so confirm the current assessment with the HOA [VERIFY].

Amira (Mueschke Road, southwest Tomball)

Starter page: Amira overview →

A 554-acre Johnson Development master-planned community with lakes, a clubhouse, a resort-style pool, fitness spaces, and trails, close to the Grand Parkway and SH-249. Amira’s community site lists West Elementary, Tomball Intermediate, Grand Lakes Junior High, and Tomball High School. Heads-up on high school: Tomball West High School lists both West Elementary and Grand Lakes Junior High among its feeder schools, so Amira 9th and 10th graders may now be zoned to Tomball West rather than Tomball High School. The community site may lag the December 2025 boundary change, so confirm the high school for the specific address on the district’s Attendance Zone Map. Builders and prices: Harris County MUD 558’s bond disclosure (Preliminary Official Statement dated Oct. 16, 2025) says Perry Homes and Beazer Homes are building in Amira and, citing the developers, puts new-home prices at approximately $360,000 to over $680,000 (as of October 2025; check current pricing with the builders). Taxes: Amira sections are in Harris County MUD 558, whose 2025 rate is $1.21 per $100 (HCAD).

Northern 77429 (Cypress-area addresses in Tomball ISD)

Many buyers are surprised that several communities with Cypress mailing addresses are in Tomball ISD. Local sources identify Hayden Lakes, Oakcrest North, Wildwood/Oakcrest, Village of Indian Trails, and Cypress Palms as Tomball ISD. The Hayden Lakes HOA lists its schools as Grand Oaks Elementary (Wildwood Elementary for the Enclave section), Oakcrest Intermediate, Grand Lakes Junior High, and Tomball Memorial High School. Heads-up on high school: when Tomball ISD laid out the new high school zones, Community Impact reported that students in Wildwood at Oakcrest, Hayden Lakes, and Village of Indian Trails would move from Tomball Memorial to Tomball West, and Tomball West now lists Grand Oaks Elementary, Wildwood Elementary, and Oakcrest Intermediate among its feeder schools. The board gave final approval in December 2025, and the change applies to 9th and 10th graders starting in 2026–27 (11th and 12th graders finish where they started). Neighborhood and HOA pages may still show Tomball Memorial, so confirm the high school for the specific address [VERIFY]. Published sources didn’t name campuses for Oakcrest North or Cypress Palms, so [VERIFY each against the district map before publishing individual neighborhood pages.]

Lakes at Creekside (split district)

Lakes at Creekside is a lake-centered community near the Grand Parkway and SH-249. It is reported to be split between Tomball ISD and Klein ISD, which makes address-level checks especially important here.

Downtown / Old Town Tomball

Starter page: Downtown / Old Town Tomball overview →

Older homes, larger lots, and walkability to Main Street shops, restaurants, and festivals. A good fit if you want character over a new-construction master plan. Zoning varies by street.

What about Towne Lake? Towne Lake is a popular Cypress community, but it is zoned to Cy-Fair ISD, not Tomball ISD, according to the community’s own website. We’ll cover it in a future Cy-Fair ISD guide.

Commuting from Tomball ISD

The district sits where several of Northwest Houston’s main roads meet:

• SH-249 / Tomball Parkway & Tomball Tollway. This is the main north–south route between Tomball and Houston, connecting south to Beltway 8 and the FM 1960 area. North of the Grand Parkway, the tolled section continues into Montgomery County. Direct connectors now link SH-249 and the Grand Parkway in all directions.
• Grand Parkway (SH-99). This tolled outer loop runs west to US-290 and Cypress/Katy and east toward I-45, The Woodlands/Spring, and the ExxonMobil campus.
• FM 2920. The main east–west surface road through Tomball, running from the Waller/Hockley side east to Spring and I-45.
• I-45 (North Freeway). Reached via the Grand Parkway or FM 2920, it’s the route to The Woodlands, Spring, Bush Intercontinental (IAH), and downtown from the east side of the district.

Several of these corridors are toll roads, so plan on an EZ TAG (or a compatible Texas toll tag).

Approximate drive times (off-peak, no traffic). These are rough route estimates from OpenStreetMap-based routing (OSRM). Rush-hour times can be much longer, so test-drive your commute at the time you’d actually make it.

Peak-hour estimates aren’t listed because we haven’t found a reliable published source for them. The times above are approximate and off-peak. Check your own route in a mapping app at the hour you’d actually drive.

Property taxes, MUDs, and PIDs

Texas has no state income tax, so local services are funded mainly through property taxes. Your bill is the sum of the rates from every taxing unit your home sits in. Depending on the address, that may include the county, the school district, a community college district, an emergency services district, a city (for example, the City of Tomball), and often a Municipal Utility District (MUD).

Tomball ISD’s rate. For fiscal year 2026–27 (tax year 2026), Tomball ISD’s board adopted a total rate of $1.0558 per $100 of taxable value ($0.6598 maintenance & operations + $0.3960 interest & sinking). That is down from $1.0629 the year before. The district’s tax office lists a $140,000 general residence homestead exemption for school taxes, with additional exemptions for homeowners who are over 65 or disabled.

MUDs and PIDs, in general terms.

• Many master-planned communities in Northwest Houston were built using MUDs. A MUD is a special district that issues bonds to pay for water, sewer, drainage, and sometimes parks and roads, and then repays them through a separate property tax. MUD rates vary widely from one district to the next and often go down over time as bonds are paid off and the community builds out.
• Some communities also have a Public Improvement District (PID) assessment or a township/association assessment. These are separate from HOA dues.
• In Texas, sellers must give buyers a statutory Notice to Purchaser describing the MUD’s tax rate and bonded debt before the contract is signed. Read it carefully.
• Total tax rates differ a lot from one neighborhood to the next. Two homes at the same price can have very different monthly payments. Look up the exact address on the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) or Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD) website, and ask Clayton for an all-in tax estimate before you make an offer.

2025 tax rates by taxing unit (tax year 2025, billed in fall 2025). Rates are per $100 of taxable value, from HCAD’s jurisdiction list (checked Nov. 3, 2026). Tax year 2026 rates were not all posted yet.

Together, the first seven rows add up to $1.797828 per $100. Add the rows that apply to an address to get a rough rate. For example, Rosehill Reserve is about $2.87, Amira about $3.01, Creekside Park about $2.40, and a home inside Tomball city limits with no MUD about $2.14. These sums leave out any emergency services district (ESD) or other special district that may also be on the bill. Exemptions lower your taxable value, not the rate. Always look up the exact address on HCAD before you make an offer.

Things to do

• Historic downtown Tomball: Main Street and Market Street shops, antique stores, cafés, and live music. The 1907 Tomball Depot museum offers free Saturday tours.
• Tomball German Heritage Festival: a free spring festival with music, vendors, food, and a parade that spreads from Depot Plaza through downtown (the 2026 festival ran March 27–29).
• Tomball Farmers Market: a certified all-local market with 70+ vendors at 205 W. Main St. in Old Town Tomball, open every Saturday year-round from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parking is free and leashed pets are welcome.
• Kleb Woods Nature Center (20303 Draper Rd.): a Harris County preserve with trails, birding, and historic farm buildings.
• Parks and trails: Theis Attaway Park in Tomball, The Woodlands’ extensive trail network around Creekside Park, and lake trails in the master-planned communities.
• Shopping and dining: Creekside Park’s village center, the SH-249 and FM 2920 retail corridors, and a short drive to The Woodlands Waterway, Market Street, and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
• Higher education: Lone Star College–Tomball, plus Lone Star College centers in the Creekside area.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Consistent “A” TEA ratings at the district level (2026: A, 92), plus new campuses opening to keep up with growth
• A wide range of housing, from historic in-town homes and established 1990s–2000s subdivisions to new construction in master-planned communities
• Quick access to SH-249 and the Grand Parkway for commutes toward The Woodlands, the ExxonMobil campus, Cypress, and the Energy Corridor
• Small-town downtown with festivals and local businesses
• More trees and green space than many inner-suburb options

Cons

• Long commutes to the urban core. Downtown, the Medical Center, and the Galleria are 40–55+ minutes even with no traffic.
• Toll costs add up if you use the tollway and Grand Parkway every day.
• Total property tax rates can be high in MUD communities. Budget for the all-in rate, not just the school rate.
• Rapid growth brings construction traffic, more crowding along FM 2920 and SH-249, and ongoing rezoning as new schools open.
• District lines don’t follow ZIP codes, so it’s easy to fall for a “Tomball” home that’s actually in another district.
• Flood risk varies by location (Spring Creek, Cypress Creek, and Willow Creek watersheds). Check the address on the Harris County Flood Control District’s Flood Education Mapping Tool (Harris County addresses) and on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for the official flood map (any address, including the Montgomery County side), and ask for the seller’s flood disclosure.

Thinking about a move to Tomball ISD?

I’m Clayton Jones, a Houston-area REALTOR® who helps relocating buyers narrow down Northwest Houston before they ever get on a plane. I can:

• Confirm school zoning and the all-in tax rate for any home you’re considering
• Run a test commute or do a video tour for you if you’re out of state
• Walk you through new-construction contracts, MUD notices, and builder incentives

Book a free relocation consultation → · Get the Northwest Houston Relocation Guide (PDF) → · Call/text: (832) 402-8784 · Email: Clayton@livingintexas.com

Last updated: October 17, 2026. Ratings, rates, and attendance zones change; verify all information independently. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed.

Sources

1. Tomball ISD, “Tomball ISD Reaffirms Elite Academic Performance with 7th Consecutive ‘A’ Rating” (Aug. 14, 2026): https://www.tomballisd.net/about-tisd/departments/communications/news-releases/news-details/~board/district/post/tomball-isd-reaffirms-elite-academic-performance-with-7th-consecutive-a-rating
2. Texas Education Agency, 2025 A–F Accountability Campus Listing, Tomball ISD: https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/cgi/sas/broker?_debug=0&_program=perfrept.perfmast.sas&_service=marykay&ccyy=2025&id=101921&lev=D&prgopt=reports%2Facct%2Fca.sas
3. TXschools.gov, Tomball ISD profile: https://txschools.gov/?id=101921&lng=en&tab=overview&view=district
4. Tomball ISD, Attendance Zone Map: https://www.tomballisd.net/new-to-tomball/attendance-zone-map
5. Tomball ISD, District Zone Reset: https://www.tomballisd.net/families/district-zone-reset
6. Tomball ISD, DZR Phase 3 Implementation (PDF): https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1763591630/tomballisdnet/tomballisdnet/f2ghnotxtilbgn6d8rh0/DRZPhase3.pdf
7. Tomball ISD, Woodlands planning map (Creekside Park West/Creekview) (PDF): https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1668438249/tomballisdnet/tgiuvvpcpekhzccbscnv/04252022WoodlandsPlanningMapCurrentK-5Students.pdf
8. Tomball ISD, “Tomball ISD Officially Opens Tomball West High School…”: https://www.tomballisd.net/about-tisd/departments/communications/news-releases/news-details/~board/district/post/tomball-isd-officially-opens-tomball-west-high-school-with-grand-opening-ribbon-cutting-celebration
9. Community Impact, “Tomball ISD approves lower tax rate and bond contracts” (Sept. 16, 2026): https://communityimpact.com/tomball-magnolia/education/tomball-isd-approves-tax-rate-and-bond-project-contracts-at-regular-meeting/
10. Tomball ISD Tax Office, Rates & Exemptions: https://tomballisd.propertytaxpayments.net/rates-and-exemptions
11. The Woodlands Township, Village of Creekside Park: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Community/My-area/Creekside-Park/Creekside-Park
12. The Woodlands / Howard Hughes, Creekside Park West fact sheet (PDF): http://www.thewoodlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CreeksideWest2020-010.pdf
13. Amira, “Excellent Tomball ISD Schools”: https://amiratexas.com/education/ · Johnson Development, Amira: https://www.johnsondevelopment.com/tomball-tx/mpc_amira
14. NewHomeSource, Rosehill Reserve: https://www.newhomesource.com/community/tx/tomball/rosehill-reserve-by-gehan-homes/141389
15. Michele Harmon Team, Northpointe Forest: https://www.micheleharmonteam.com/northpointe-forest/
16. CyFairRealEstate.com, NW Houston School Districts (Tomball ISD communities in 77429): https://www.cyfairrealestate.com/schools/
17. Signature Houston, Top Neighborhoods in Tomball (Lakes at Creekside split district): https://www.signaturehouston.com/blog/top-5-best-neighborhoods-in-tomball-tx/
18. Towne Lake, Schools (Cy-Fair ISD): https://townelaketexas.com/schools
19. TxDOT, SH 99 Grand Parkway Segment F-1: https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/houston/sh99-grand-parkway/overview/segment-f1.html · Community Impact, SH-249/Grand Parkway direct connector: https://communityimpact.com/tomball-magnolia/transportation/northbound-direct-connector-opens-at-grand-parkway-hwy-249/
20. Texas Real Estate Research Center, “Clear as MUD”: https://trerc.tamu.edu/article/clear-as-mud/
21. City of Tomball, Railroad Depot: https://tomballtx.gov/343/Railroad-Depot · German Heritage Festival: https://www.tomballtx.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=8270 · Attractions: https://www.tomballtx.gov/110/Attractions
22. Harris County Precinct 4, Kleb Woods Nature Center: https://cp4.harriscountytx.gov/Community-Centers/Community-Center/kleb-woods
23. Tomball Farmers Market, Plan Your Visit: https://www.tomballfarmersmarket.org/plan-your-visit—map.html · City of Tomball calendar listing: https://tomballtx.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=8592
24. Harris County Flood Control District, Flood Education Mapping Tool: https://www.hcfcd.org/Resources/Interactive-Mapping-Tools/Harris-County-Flood-Education · FEMA Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search
25. Tomball ISD, “Tomball ISD Opens New Fifth-Grade Addition at Creekside Park” (Aug. 11, 2026): https://www.tomballisd.net/about-tisd/departments/communications/news-releases/news-details/~board/district/post/tomball-isd-opens-new-fifth-grade-addition-at-creekside-park · The Move Live Love TX Team, “What Schools Serve Creekside Park”: https://movelivelovetx.com/post/what-schools-serve-creekside-park-in-the-woodlands-tx
26. Tomball West High School, Our School (feeder schools): https://twhs.tomballisd.net/our-school · The Kinne Group, “Amira in Tomball, TX: 2026 Guide”: https://www.thekinnegroup.com/blog/amira-tomball-tx-buyer-guide-2026/
27. Coldwell Banker, 21422 Martin Tea Trl (Rosehill Reserve Sec 3), MLS 16447202, updated July 27, 2026: https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/tx/tomball/21422-martin-tea-trail/pid_72471691/ · Creekstone RE, Rosehill Reserve (HCAD roll data, retrieved Oct. 9, 2026): https://www.creekstonere.com/areas/tomball/rosehill-reserve/
28. The Woodlands Township, “The Woodlands Township Adopts 2026 Property Tax Rate” (Sept. 3, 2026 meeting recap, via Woodlands Online): https://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=84717 · The Woodlands Township, Harris-Montgomery County MUD 386: https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Community/My-area/Creekside-Park/MUD-386 · Paige Martin, “The Woodlands Property Tax Rates by Village and Utility District”: https://liveinthewoodlands.com/the-woodlands-property-tax-rates-by-village/
29. Hayden Lakes HOA, Services/Utilities (schools): https://haydenlakeshoa.org/services/ · Community Impact, “Tomball ISD to incrementally implement attendance boundary overhaul over next 3 years”: https://communityimpact.com/tomball-magnolia/education/tomball-isd-to-incrementally-implement-attendance-boundary-overhaul-over-next-3-years/ · Community Impact, “Tomball ISD approves new high school attendance boundaries” (Dec. 11, 2025): https://communityimpact.com/tomball-magnolia/education/tomball-isd-approves-new-high-school-attendance-boundaries/
30. Drive-time estimates: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (router.project-osrm.org), queried Oct. 17, 2026; free-flow estimates only.
31. Harris Central Appraisal District, Jurisdiction Information (tax rates by taxing unit, 2023–2026), checked Nov. 3, 2026: https://public.hcad.org/resources/jurlist.asp
32. City of Tomball, FY 2027 Budget & Tax Rate Information (TY 2025 adopted rate $0.340940): https://www.tomballtx.gov/901/FY-2027-Budget-Tax-Rate-Information
33. Tomball Memorial High School, Our School (feeder schools): https://tmhs.tomballisd.net/our-school
34. Harris County MUD 558, Preliminary Official Statement, Series 2025A (Oct. 16, 2025), builders and developer-reported price range in Amira: https://munihub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Harris-558-2025A-POS.pdf
35. MDS (district operator), Harris County MUD 542 / Rosehill Reserve boundary map (PDF): https://mdswater.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RR_MARKETING.pdf
36. Harris-Montgomery Counties MUD 386, About the District: https://www.hmcmud386.org/