Conroe has issued over 14,000 new home permits in the past decade, surpassing other major Houston suburbs. However, infrastructure struggles threaten to slow its rapid expansion.
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Over the past ten years, Conroe has become the clear winner in building homes in the suburbs around Houston. As per the Houston Chronicle, permit records show the city has grown much faster than once-booming places like Sugar Land and Pearland. It has attracted thousands of new residents looking for cheap housing, space, and opportunities.
As the way suburbs are built changes, Conroe stands out for how quickly it has grown. From 2015 to 2024, the city issued more than 14,000 new single-family home permits—more than Sugar Land, Pearland, League City, and Pasadena combined. Conroe has grown so quickly that it is now one of the fastest-growing places in the country. It used to be a quiet, semi-rural town.
Experts say Conroe's boom is mainly due to its affordability and strategic position near The Woodlands. However, the city's infrastructure is under a lot of stress because of this fast growth.
In August 2024, officials stopped any new construction in northern Conroe because they were worried about running out of water. Because of this, the number of monthly new home permits dropped sharply, showing how hard it is to keep up with such fast growth.
Other areas, like Sugar Land and Pearland, are stuck because they can't find enough land, and land prices are going up. Conroe's problem is that it needs to balance growth with the resources it needs to support it.
To ensure that Conroe stays a popular place for homebuyers, city officials are now working on long-term fixes, such as expanding water infrastructure.
With a growing population and high demand, Conroe will continue to be the leader in homebuilding—as long as the city can keep up with its success.
