Southside Place, Houston, Texas

Just how big is Houston? Big enough to hold eleven other cities inside it. Of the eleven incorporated enclaves that managed to escape annexation during Houston’s expansion, Southside Place, with an area of less than a quarter mile square, may be the smallest. It’s hard to say for sure since, although multiple sources claim that number is correct, at least one published source claims the number is one mile square, while another places it at two square miles.

Southside Place began in 1925 as a park, a swimming pool, and some building lots for sale on the site of what had been the Harris County Poor Farm. The park and pool were a lure to draw in buyers for the lots, and it was a successful venture. In 1931 the town’s 600 residents voted to incorporate, which was accomplished in 1934, saving them from being annexed to Houston as that city swallowed most of the surrounding towns. This allowed Southside Place to remain independent, although, as with the other enclaves, it has a Houston zip code and mail must be addressed to Houston.

From its humble beginnings as the site of a Poor Farm, Southside Place has evolved into one of Houston’s most affluent neighborhoods, with one home making a monthly list of ten most expensive homes sold in Houston in 2020. It occupies number ten on the list of Best Suburbs to Live in Houston Area.

The government of Southside Place is a Mayor-Council model. The current mayor, Andy Chan, serves with a five-member council. In addition, there is a city manager and an assistant manager. The city also boasts its own municipal system, police department and a volunteer fire department.

The Houston Independent School District serves the public school students of Southside Place. Elementary school students attend either West University Elementary School (Great Schools rating of 10/10) or Mark Twain Elementary School (Great Schools rating of 8/10). Middle school students are zoned to Pershing Middle School but are also allowed to apply to Pin Oak Middle School. High school students attend either Lamar High School or Bellaire High School.

According to U.S. Census data, the current population of Southside Place is 1,825 and the median age of residents is 40.2 years old. The median income is $193,021, placing it in the top ten most affluent Houston suburbs, as well as the top ten most expensive Houston neighborhoods.

Southside Place places a priority on security and is known as a safe place to live. Locations such as Fire Truck Park, Southside Place Community Garden, and Palace Social provide family-friendly activities and foster a sense of community.