Atascocita is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in Harris County,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, United States, within the

Houston metropolitan area Greater Houston, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Co ...

. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 88,174. It is located north and south of

Farm to Market Road 1960 Farm to Market Road 1960 (FM 1960) is a farm-to-market road in the U.S. state of Texas, maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Its western terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Highway 290 (US 290) and State Highway 6 (SH ...

about east of Humble and northeast of downtown

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

in northeastern Harris County.

Description

Bordered on its eastern shore by the

Lake Houston Lake Houston is a reservoir on the San Jacinto River, 15 miles (24 km) northeast of downtown Houston, Texas, United States. The reservoir is the primary municipal water supply for the city of Houston. Location and creation Situated between ...

, the community contains several parks, country clubs, and golf courses, including Atascocita Country Club, Walden on Lake Houston Golf and Country Club, and Tour 18, a recreation of some of the United States' most celebrated golf holes. Atascocita was named one of the "Best Places to Retire" by '' U.S. News & World Report'', citing Lake Houston's boating and fishing opportunities and Atascocita's numerous golf courses.

History

Atascocita's name derives from the Atascocito military outpost and subsequent road constructed by the Spanish in 1756. The Atascocito Road stretched from

Spanish Louisiana Spanish Louisiana ( es, link=no, la Luisiana) was a governorate and administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1762 to 1801 that consisted of a vast territory in the center of North America encompassing the western basin of t ...

in the east to

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

in the west, connecting eastern Texas to the rest of

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

. The Atascocito Road was a major route for American migrants moving to Texas in the 1820s and 1830s. It is unclear exactly when Atascocito shifted to Atascocita. The City of Houston annexed portions of what would become Atascocita in the 1960s, but it was de-annexed in the late 1970s. Construction in the area began in the 1970s. In the 1990s Atascocita included fifteen neighborhoods and was one of the fastest-growing developments in the

Greater Houston Greater Houston, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Co ...

area. In 2009 the Gadberry Group named Atascocita as one of "9 from 2009" most notable high growth areas in the United States. The 2010 census listed Atascocita's population as 65,844, up from 35,757 at the 2000 census. Atascocita has two community newspapers, ''The Tribune Newspaper'' and ''The Atascocita Observer''.

Geography

Atascocita is located at (29.993365, -95.182054). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.74%, is water. Syd Kearney, author of ''A Marmac Guide to Houston and Galveston'', "There are fine resort homes in sections such as Atascocita Shores."Kearney, Syd. ''A Marmac Guide to Houston and Galveston''.

Pelican Publishing Pelican Publishing Company is a book publisher based in Gretna, a suburb of New Orleans. Formed in 1926, Pelican is the largest independent trade book publisher located in the U.S. South. Pelican publishes approximately 60 titles per year and ...

, March 1, 2009
p. 222
Retrieved from

Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical c ...

on October 21, 2012. , 9781589805484.

Demographics and housing

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 88,174 people, 26,022 households, and 20,636 families residing in the CDP. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 65,844 people, 11,006 households, and 9,432 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 1,296.3 people per square mile (500.6/km²). There were 11,342 housing units at an average density of 411.2/sq mi (158.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP in 2010 was 67.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 19.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.5% Native American, 2.8%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.3%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, and 2.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 22.08% of the population. In 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup was 38.92% non-Hispanic white, 22.86% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 3.31% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.49% some other race, 3.61% multiracial, and 30.37% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In the CDP as of 2010, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 3.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $83,314. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $31,496 About 2.2% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over. In 2020, the

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

estimated its median household income increased to $103,676. Atascocita's median home price was $153,100 as of 2017; there are many subdivisions in Atascocita, ranging from small, intimate neighborhoods to large, master-planned communities like Eagle Springs, Walden on Lake Houston, The Groves, The Bridges on Lake Houston, Balmoral, Lakeshore, Waters Edge, Summerwood, Pinehurst and Atascocita Shores. New home prices range from under $200,000 to over $20 million.

Government and infrastructure

Local and county government

The Atascocita Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services. The

Harris County Sheriff's Office The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is a local law enforcement agency serving the over four million citizens of Harris County, Texas, United States. It is headquartered on the first and second floors in the 1200 Baker Street Jail in Down ...

provides police services. The Atascocita CDP is divided between Harris County Precinct 1 and Harris County Precinct 4. As of 2022, Commissioners

Rodney Ellis Rodney Glenn Ellis (born April 7, 1954) is an American politician. He represented Texas' 13th state senate district in the Texas Senate from 1990 to 2017. The district contains portions of Harris County, including downtown Houston, and Fort Ben ...

and Lesley Briones head the precincts, respectively. The CDP is served by the

District II Patrol, headquartered from the Humble Substation at 7900 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble. The Harris County Sheriff's Office Academy is in Atascocita. The Harris County Fire Marshall's offices are in Atascocita. The Sheriff's Office opened the Atascocita boot camp, a correctional facility for county inmates, in 1991. It closed in September 2004 as the county decided that its rehabilitation value was questionable. The vocational programs, once at the camp, were transferred to the Downtown area. The nearest public clinic of the

Harris Health System The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includin ...

(formerly Harris County Hospital District) is the E.A. "Squatty" Lyons clinic in Humble. The nearest public hospital is

Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital The Harris Health System, previously the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD), is a governmental entity with taxing authority that owns and operates three hospitals and numerous clinics throughout Harris County, Texas, United States, includin ...

in northeast Houston.

State representation

Pam Lychner Unit, a

Texas Department of Criminal Justice The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, ...

state jail for men, is located in the Atascocita CDP. The state jail, which has beds for 2,200 residents and a residential probation program with 450 beds, was named after

Pam Lychner Pamela Sue Rogers Lychner (November 9, 1958 – July 17, 1996) was an American real estate agent from Greater HoustonGray, Lisa. "After the Crash." ''Houston Press''. October 23, 19971 who promoted the "Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Iden ...

Education

Primary and secondary schools

; Public schools Atascocita students attend school in the

Humble Independent School District Humble Independent School District is a school district located in Humble, Texas, United States. It serves the city of Humble, small portions of the city of Houston (including the community of Kingwood), and portions of unincorporated Harris C ...

. Elementary schools within Atascocita CDP include Atascocita Springs, Eagle Springs, Oaks, Pine Forest, Timbers, and Whispering Pines.Elementary Attendance Zones 2011-12
" ()

. Retrieved on October 21, 2012. Maplebrook Elementary School is in the limited purpose city limits of Houston and surrounded by Atascocita CDP. - The school is in the limited purpose city limits, but not in the full purpose city limits. Other elementary schools serving portions of Atascocita include Deerwood (Kingwood), Greentree (Kingwood), Lakeshore (Houston), Park Lakes (unincorporated), River Pines (unincorporated), and Summerwood (Houston). Most of Atascocita CDP is served by Atascocita Middle School in the limited purpose city limits of Houston, and Humble Middle School, Timberwood Middle School, and Wood Creek Middle School in Atascocita.Middle School Attendance Zones 2011-12
"
Archive

. Retrieved on October 21, 2012. Some portions are zoned to Sterling Middle School in Humble, Creekwood Middle School in Kingwood, and Riverwood Middle School in Kingwood. Most of Atascocita CDP is served by

Atascocita High School Atascocita High School is a secondary school located in Atascocita CDP, a community housed in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. AHS is a part of Humble Independent School District and serves the eastern part of the district an ...

in Atascocita, while portions are served by

Humble High School Humble High School (HHS) is a secondary school in the Humble Independent School District in Humble, Texas, United States. It serves grades 9 through 12 for the city of Humble, the Moonshine Hill area of Houston, and unincorporated communities no ...

in Humble,

Kingwood High School Kingwood High School is a Humble Independent School District secondary school located in the Kingwood community of Houston, Texas, United States and serves Portions of Kingwood and Atascocita. Ted Landry had been principal since May 29, 2011 unti ...

in Kingwood, and

Summer Creek High School Summer Creek High School (SCHS) is a high school in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, and a part of the Humble Independent School District. It serves several areas, including Summerwood and Fall Creek, the two neighborhoods that the school g ...

in an unincorporated area outside of Atascocita. Previously

served the Atascocita area until rapid growth in the community forced the construction of Atascocita High School in 2006. With an exterior modeled after

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

's iconic

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

estate, the , $46.9 million school was built on a heavily wooded parcel of land in the center of Atascocita. Since its opening, Atascocita High School has garnered an impressive list of academic accolades including being labeled a "Recognized" campus by the Texas State Board of Education in 2010. All students attending the Humble Independent School District have the option to apply for admission to

Quest Early College High School Guy M. Sconzo Early College High School is a small secondary school in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near the city of Humble. It is a part of the Humble Independent School District and is an Early College High School. Students can earn ...

, a magnet high school in Atascocita. ; Private schools The PK-5 Holy Trinity Episcopal School is in proximity to Atascocita.

Colleges and Universities

Lone Star College Lone Star College (LSC) is a public community college system serving the northern portions of the Greater Houston, Texas, area. In 2017 it enrolled about 95,000 students. The headquarters of the Lone Star College System are located in The Wood ...

opened it
Atascocita Center
in August, 2011. The center offers access to adult basic education/GED, English as a Second Language, college classes to meet degree requirements and Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL) for seniors. The

University of Houston–Downtown The University of Houston–Downtown (UHD) is a public university in Houston, Texas. It is part of the University of Houston System and has a campus that spans in Downtown Houston with a satellite location, UHD-Northwest in Harris County. Fo ...

also offers a bachelor's degree in business administration in the evenings at the center.

Public libraries

Atascocita is served by the Atascocita Branch Library of the

Harris County Public Library Harris County Public Library (HCPL) is a public library system serving Harris County, Texas, United States. Since its inception in 1921, HCPL has grown from a system of small book stations in homes, stores and post offices to 26 branch librarie ...

(HCPL), located inside the CDP. In 1986 the Atascocita Hi Neighbor group began to campaign for a library in Atascocita. The branch was built from 1994 to 1996 with the help of Janette Dennis, an Atascocita resident and philanthropist, and opened on May 5, 1996. Janette Dennis helped spearhead "The Friends of the Atascocita Library" (FOAL) donates around $20,000

United States dollar The United States dollar ( symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the officia ...

s per year to the library.

Parks and recreation

Atascocita Park, of space, on Lake House Parkway, opened on June 24, 2020. A part of Harris County Precinct 2, it had a cost of $11,500,000. It has a dog park with of space, a boardwalk with a pond, and a playground with skywalks.

is in the Atascocita area. Syd Kearney, author of ''A Marmac Guide to Houston and Galveston'', said that Atascocita was "synonymous with golf, tennis, and other great recreational features on Lake Houston." Harris County Precinct 4 operates the Lindsay/Lyons Park and Sports Complex. The complex has barbecue grills, one barbecue pavilion, 10 lighted baseball fields, 2 lighted

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

fields, picnic tables, 2 playgrounds (one is an all-inclusive playground and toilet facility for children of all physical abilities), 4 lighted softball fields, 18 unlighted soccer (football) fields, and toilet facilities. Additions added later in the park's life include a donor pavers garden, sensory garden for children with impaired sight, three 30-seat picnic pavilions, a paved walking trail around the playground, and additional trees.Lindsay/Lyons Sports Center Location and Facilities Map
. " Harris County Precinct 4. Retrieved on December 2, 2009.

Notes

References

External links

Atascocita.com

AtascocitaTexas.com

Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department
* {{authority control Census-designated places in Harris County, Texas