From its early days as a burgeoning port and railroad city to its current position as one of the nation’s leading economic centers of industry, Houston, Texas has always been a city of transition and innovation. To prove that point, the city is home to the world’s largest concentration of health care and research institutions and only New York City has more Fortune 500 headquarters within its city limits.

Houston is one of the leading energy-producing states and considered by many to be the energy capital of the world with its prevalence in not only the oil and natural gas industries, but also because of its growing base of renewable energy resources like wind and solar energy. In fact, five of the six top energy companies maintain a large base of operations in the area, including ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron.

Houston is also the home of Halliburton, Horizon Wind Energy, Apache Corporation and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located. The city is prominent in manufacturing, aeronautics, transportation, and health care sectors and is a leading center for the building of oilfield equipment.

Houston is one of the few U.S. cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts and its museum and theater districts welcome millions of visitors each year. Renters in Houston can revel all year long to the sights and sounds of the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ballet, the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the Alley Theater. The city’s active theater district welcomes many of Broadway’s biggest and best touring shows as well as a variety of concerts, shows and exhibitions.

The city’s most notable cultural institutions include the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Holocaust Museum and the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston. Also located in Houston’s Theater District is the Bayou Place entertainment complex, a multilevel building featuring restaurants, bars, live music, billiards, and cinemas showcasing art house films. You will also find notable institutions of higher learning such as Rice University. University of Houston and Texas Southern University .

H-Town celebrates many annual events that shed light on the region’s cultural diversity. Most notable include the world’s largest livestock and rodeo show with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Greek Festival, the Houston Puerto Rican and Cuban Festival, the Bayou City Art Festival and the Houston Auto Show.

Houston, TX boasts 337 parks and of the top ten most populous cities in the nation, this city offers the most naturally green space with over 56,000 acres. The city’s celebrated parks system includes Harmann Park, Lake Houston Park, Terry Hershey Park, Tranquility Park, Discovery Green and others. The city itself manages an additional 20,000 acres of green spaces, including the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center.

Houston has professional sports teams in every major league with the exception of the NHL. The city is home to the Texans in the NFL, the Astros in the MLB, the Rockets in the NBA, the Dynamo in the MLS, the Aeros in the AHL, the Wranglers in the WTT, the Takers in the ABA, the Energy and the H-Town Texas Cyclones in the IWFL, the Leones in the PDL, the Power in the WFA and the Lightening in the SIFL.

As for shopping, you can’t go wrong in Houston, TX as the city has the largest shopping mall in the state with the Galleria. Other local shopping highlights include the Woodlands Mall, Highland Village and the Conroe Outlet Center, where many top brands and designer fashions can be purchased for less.

If you’re moving to Houston, Texas and you’re looking for a nice neighborhood to rent an apartment, condo, townhouse or single-family house, then your options are plentiful. The city has neighborhoods suitable for every budget and family-type.  If you have pets, you might want to skip directly to our list of pet friendly apartments in Houston .

Katy is one of Houston’s finest family-based suburbs with moderate to high-priced rentals and expertly-maintained streets. The neighborhood is routinely recognized for its school system and was a recipient of a national award from President George W. Bush in 2005 for its dedication to keeping the neighborhood clean.

If you’re looking for more affordable housing in Houston, then the neighborhood of Montrose may suit your budget a little better. This area is closer to the city’s downtown section, and its main drag is littered with coffee shops, diners and low-key shopping options.

River Oaks is one of Houston’s more elegant neighborhoods with many luxury apartments and homes over the million-dollar mark; however, there are an abundance of very affordable rental complexes on the outskirts of the neighborhood.

The Woodlands neighborhood lives up to its name as this area features more than 1,800 acres of open space and nearly 100 outdoor parks. The area has 135 miles of wooded pathways to walk and no less than six award-winning golf courses. The cost of living in the Woodlands is slightly higher than the national average, but the majority of the school systems in this area are rated “Exemplary.”

Rice Village is a neighborhood that surrounds Rice University so as you may expect, this area has a younger vibe and the cost of living is relatively more affordable than it would be in a more family-oriented neighborhood. With a host of late-night bars and restaurants open until 2 a.m. this area can get a little noisy in the weekend’s wee-hours, so it’s generally not recommended if peace and quiet are requirements in your search for a rental.

The city’s downtown area is where one can find the greatest abundance of apartments and lofts available, but they do come at a price. One of the more expensive areas for rentals, downtown does offer tremendous advantages. It’s a thriving social and cultural hub and offers the utmost in convenience. For some renters, the close proximity to work, the staggering number of activities and cultural opportunities and some of the best bars and restaurants around may counterbalance the increased cost of living.