friendswood

Friendswood, Texas

Friendswood is a city in Galveston and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 29,037.

In 2007, CNN/Money Magazine rated Friendswood as one of "America's Best Places to Live."

History

Friendswood was founded in 1895 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Today Friendswood houses the Houston area headquarters for the Quaker Society.

Geography

Friendswood is located at (29.512532, -95.197933).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54.4 km²). None of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 29,037 people, 10,107 households, and 8,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,381.2 people per square mile (533.4/km²). There were 10,405 housing units at an average density of 495.0/sq mi (191.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.09% White, 2.70% African American, 0.40% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.79% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.79% of the population.

There were 10,107 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

According to a 2006 estimate, the median income for a family in Friendswood was $90,232. Males had a median income of $60,304 versus $35,447 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,615. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Pupils in Friendswood attend schools in either Friendswood Independent School District if they live south of Clear Creek, or Clear Creek Independent School District if they live north of Clear Creek.

Cline Elementary School, Westwood Elementary School, Bales Intermediate School, and Windsong Intermediate School serve the Friendswood ISD portion of Friendswood. All Friendswood ISD residents are zoned to Friendswood Junior High School and Friendswood High School.

Clear Creek ISD students from Friendswood, depending on attendance boundary, attend either Wedgewood Elementary School in Friendswood or Landolt Elementary School for elementary school. Most CCISD areas of Friendswood are zoned to Brookside Intermediate School in Friendswood. One section of land is zoned to Westbrook Intermediate School in Houston. Depending on attendance boundary, some students continue to Clear Brook High School in an unincorporated area of Harris County adjacent to Friendswood, while some students continue to Clear Springs High School in League City.