Stafford, TX Properties | Metro Realty Advisors

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Stafford is a city in the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area, located mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion extending into Harris County. The 2020 census counted 17,666 residents within a compact footprint of about seven square miles. Its position at the junction of U.S. 90 Alternate and the Southwest Freeway places it roughly 30 minutes from downtown Houston, with convenient access to the Energy Corridor, Sugar Land, and the Texas Medical Center. Stafford is best known for a distinction unique among Texas's larger cities: it has no municipal property tax. The city abolished its property tax decades ago and instead funds operations primarily through sales tax revenue, a policy that applies to both commercial and residential properties and has long served as a defining feature of the city's identity and economic appeal. Residents still pay county, school district, and community college property taxes. The community's roots reach back to the mid-1800s as a settlement along the railroad and early roadways southwest of Houston. Through the 20th century it grew with the expansion of the Houston region, and by the 1980s it had become an established suburb with many residents commuting into the city. Stafford also made education history by forming its own municipal school district in 1982, taking over schools that had been split between neighboring districts and creating a single district covering the entire city. Today Stafford functions as a diverse, family-oriented suburb with a significant employment and commercial base of its own, including retail, light industrial, and corporate office uses along its major corridors. The city's housing mix ranges from established single-family neighborhoods to a broad stock of apartments, supporting a community that includes both homeowners and renters. Stafford suits value-conscious families and professionals who want Greater Houston location and connectivity, a distinctive tax structure, and a culturally diverse, no-frills suburban environment — all within easy commuting distance of the region's largest employment centers.

Population 17,666

County Fort Bend County (partly Harris County)

Active Listings 110

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Stafford in?

Stafford is mostly in Fort Bend County, with a small portion extending into Harris County. It lies within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area, about 30 minutes southwest of downtown Houston.

Does Stafford have a property tax?

No. Stafford is the largest city in Texas to have abolished municipal property taxes, funding city services primarily through sales tax. Residents still pay county, school district, and community college property taxes.

What school district serves Stafford?

Stafford is served by Stafford Municipal School District, which covers the entire city. Established in 1982, it houses pre-kindergarten through 12th grade on a single campus area and had its first graduating class in 1985.

How far is Stafford from downtown Houston?

Stafford sits at the junction of U.S. 90 Alternate and the Southwest Freeway, roughly a 30-minute drive from downtown Houston and convenient to the Energy Corridor, Sugar Land, and the Texas Medical Center.

What is Stafford known for?

Stafford is best known as the largest city in Texas without a municipal property tax. It is also a diverse, family-oriented Houston suburb with a unique municipal school district and strong highway access.

City Guide

About Stafford

Real Estate & Housing

Stafford's housing stock spans several decades of development, offering a mix of single-story and two-story single-family homes with yards and garages, alongside a substantial supply of apartments and townhomes that give the city a more renter-oriented profile than nearby Sugar Land. Architectural styles reflect the city's mid-to-late-20th-century growth, and neighborhoods tend toward established, practical suburban forms. Within the southwest Houston corridor, Stafford is positioned as an accessible alternative for buyers and renters who want Fort Bend-area amenities and commute convenience without the premium of the region's more upscale planned communities.

Neighborhoods

Stafford's residential fabric is anchored by the 77477 ZIP code, often described as the city's residential backbone. Neighborhoods such as Fifth Street offer established single-family homes about 30 minutes from downtown Houston, close to parks and grocery stores, while apartment communities cluster along the major thoroughfares. The city's seven-square-mile footprint keeps most homes within a short drive of the municipal school campus, the recreation centers, and the Southwest Freeway. Development patterns blend older subdivisions with newer infill, giving Stafford a settled, mixed-generation character rather than a master-planned uniformity.

Lifestyle in Stafford

Stafford offers a practical, diverse suburban lifestyle shaped by its position in southwest Houston. Residents value the city's signature financial feature — the absence of a municipal property tax — alongside a broad dining scene that reflects the area's cultural diversity, with cuisines ranging from Vietnamese and Indian to classic Texas barbecue and Southern fare. Community life centers on parks, recreation centers, and the municipal school district's events, while regional amenities in Sugar Land and Houston provide larger shopping and entertainment. The result is a value-conscious, family-friendly community that keeps regional employment and culture close at hand.

Schools & Education

Stafford is served by Stafford Municipal School District, a notable arrangement in which the city operates its own public school system covering the entire municipality. Created in 1982 after a contentious effort to unify schooling within city limits, the district houses pre-kindergarten through 12th grade on a single campus area, with separate buildings for elementary, middle, and high school levels and a shared athletic complex. The district's first graduating class completed high school in 1985. Families seeking private or specialized options also have access to schools across Fort Bend and southwest Houston.

Getting Around

Stafford sits at the junction of U.S. 90 Alternate and the Southwest Freeway, providing direct highway access to downtown Houston, the Energy Corridor, and Sugar Land, with the Texas Medical Center reachable in roughly 30 minutes. Beltway 8 and Fort Bend Parkway add routes around the metro area, and Houston METRO provides bus service in the surrounding region, though most residents commute by car. The city's central southwest-Houston position makes it a convenient base for workers across multiple employment corridors, from the Galleria to the medical center and the Port of Houston's industrial districts.

Parks & Recreation

Stafford maintains a network of parks and recreation centers that anchor community activity, offering playgrounds, sports fields, walking areas, and organized programs for residents. The city's recreation facilities support youth sports and fitness programming, and neighborhood parks are distributed across the compact city so green space is rarely far away. Stafford's central location also puts residents within reach of the region's larger recreation assets, including the Brazos River corridor, Sugar Land's town square and parks, and Houston's museums, trails, and professional sports venues, all accessible within a short drive.

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