Municipal officials celebrated the designation with a post on the municipality’s website publicizing the community’s ranking and amenities that led to first place. In 2020, The Woodlands was the second best place to reside in the country in the niche ranking and in recent years it had reached seventh place on the list.
Several members of the city council praised the rating and said it was an indication of how large the community they think The Woodlands is.
Director Ann Snyder said that, as a resident for 30 years, she and her family are aware of how amazing the county is.
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“We, as a community, are fortunate enough to live in our hometown, The Woodlands, the“ best place # 1! “My husband and I chose to live and raise our family in The Woodlands for over 30 years and, at that time, travel to Houston because of the vision of Mr. Mitchell and his foundation,” said Snyder by email. “The Woodlands is like no other and covers all ethnicities, beliefs, ages, cultures, socioeconomic groups. The importance of nature has been integral since the beginning. Our schools are exemplary, public safety is always a priority, our business community is second to none, the beautiful parks and paths are enjoyed by people of all ages and cultural events abound! We are all blessed to live here, where we live, work, play, learn and pray. “
Director John Anthony Brown, who moved from Philadelphia to The Woodlands, said that a combination of factors, including hard marketing work for the community, led to the number 1 assignment this year.
“I think the best form of marketing is to get our residents / visitors to spread the word about this community, whether it be on social media posts, visiting family members and showing them at the same time, allowing them to see everything firsthand. that we have to offer. Another thing that promotes our community is all the incredible amenities that we offer, both inside and outside, ”explained Brown. “The proximity to being able to take advantage of this is extraordinary. Few, if any, can say that they have these high quality options within walking distance (or by bicycle) or a short drive. I believe that many thanks go to the Township team, especially our park and recreation department, which continues to create new facilities for our residents, such as Texas TreeVentures. “
Honor criteria
Niche.com’s ratings are based on a number of factors about the community, including public safety and crime; public schools and other educational opportunities; cost of living and housing availability; diversity of residents both racially and by education; nightlife and entertainment options; jobs and career options; and how a community is family-oriented.
The top five cities in 2021 were The Woodlands first, followed by Arlington, Virginia; Naperville, Illinois; Overland Park, Kansas; and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The ratings look at a total of 228 cities across the country and rely in part on surveys and feedback from residents.
For city directors, the designation is more of a pity in the municipality, which is often considered in design and urban planning circles as the best planned community in the country.
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In citing why the municipality received the designation, Brown said it is a combination of word of mouth praise posted online by residents and major community events with national profiles, such as the Ironman Triathlon and the wide range of shows at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion help spread the news about The Woodlands and all it has to offer. He also cited a robust corporate culture that attracts workers from afar to the community.
“We have incredible partners who bring international exposure, such as The Woodlands Marathon, Ironman and The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, which offer events in which many of our active residents participate and support visitors from around the world. In addition, having the Pavilion, which is consistently ranked as one of the five largest external amphitheaters in the world in sales, says a lot about the international products we have to offer, ”added Brown. “The Woodlands offers the best amenities for the corporate headquarters and its employees. We don’t just have a fantastic healthcare sector, we are all set to provide a technology sector. The design of this community allows us to prosper economically and provide it to our residents and business partners. “
Bruce Rieser, an Ohio native who moved to The Woodlands decades ago from Chicago because of his work, said he was proud of the work done by officials and city leaders to help the community move up the ranks in recent years to number one .
“It is very gratifying to be chosen by Niche as the Best City in America. It never gets old to receive recognition from experts who recognize the uniqueness of our hometown, ”said Rieser.