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Medical Center South, mapped.
I’m Eddie Weir, REALTOR® with REMAX Signature in Greater Houston. Medical Center South is the corridor between the Texas Medical Center and Pearland — ZIP codes 77047, 77045, and 77048. It’s one of the fastest-growing newer-construction submarkets in Greater Houston, with Riverstone Ranch, City Gate, and Almeda Plaza driving the inventory and a 15-minute Med Center commute driving the demand. This guide is the lay of the land before you buy or sell.
Medical Center South, Harris County, Texas
What Medical Center South Is
The corridor between the Med Center and Pearland.
Medical Center South is more a real-estate marketing region than a single neighborhood — the corridor between the Texas Medical Center and Pearland, encompassing ZIP codes 77047, 77045, and 77048. Riverstone Ranch (the 77047 master-planned community, not to be confused with Riverstone in Sugar Land) anchors the eastern end. City Gate and Almeda Plaza extend westward toward the Med Center. Houston ISD covers most of the schools, with parts of Fort Bend ISD on the southern Pearland-adjacent edge. The corridor’s pull is the 15-minute Med Center commute — one of the shortest in the Greater Houston metro.
What Medical Center South Is
A Harris County corridor between the Texas Medical Center and Pearland with newer-construction inventory (most homes built post-2005), a 15-minute Med Center commute via Highway 288, deep demand from Med Center physicians and staff, and a price tier well below Inner Loop or Bellaire alternatives.
What It Isn’t
Medical Center South is not the same as Pearland — the 77047 portion of Pearland sits in Harris County and HISD, not Brazoria County and Pearland ISD. It’s also not a single homogeneous neighborhood; ZIPs 77045 and 77048 carry different vintages and price tiers than 77047.
Who It’s For
Medical Center South fits Texas Medical Center physicians, residents, and staff prioritizing commute time, first-time buyers entering Harris County at lower per-square-foot than the Inner Loop or Bellaire, relocating buyers from out-of-state wanting newer-construction with HISD access, and investors looking at single-family rentals near Med Center demand.
By the Numbers
Medical Center South market, plain language.
Medical Center South trades at a notable discount to the Inner Loop while delivering the shortest Med Center commute outside Bellaire or West University. Riverstone Ranch in 77047 carries the deepest newer-construction inventory in the corridor.
Median Sale Price
$300k–$360k
Source: HAR MLS, May 2026 (typical range — verify current at har.com). Combined 77047 / 77045 / 77048 corridor median.
Median Days on Market
35–55
Source: HAR MLS, May 2026 (typical range). Medical Center South moves at roughly the Greater Houston average; well-priced Riverstone Ranch homes often clear faster.
Active Inventory
150–300
Source: HAR MLS, May 2026 (typical range, combined corridor). Inventory is thinner than Pearland or Sugar Land — the corridor is geographically smaller. Riverstone Ranch in 77047 typically carries the deepest count.
Typical Price Range
$230k–$500k
Older 77045 and 77048 sections trend lower; Riverstone Ranch and City Gate trend higher; estate-tier new construction sits at the top end.
Two things to watch in any Medical Center South comp pull. First, ZIP 77047 spans both Harris County (most of the ZIP) and a small Brazoria County slice in north Pearland — comps need to stay inside the same county for school district and tax accuracy. Second, the corridor’s newer master-planned tracts (Riverstone Ranch, City Gate) carry MUD exposure that older 77045 and 77048 sections don’t; tax rate matters a lot in this price tier.
Inside Medical Center South
Four Medical Center South sub-areas, quickly.
Medical Center South isn’t one neighborhood. ZIP 77047 alone spans newer Riverstone Ranch master-planned construction and older Almeda-area homes. Picking the wrong sub-area changes the price tier and the commute pattern materially.
77047 · HISD · Master-planned
Riverstone Ranch
The 77047 master-planned community (not to be confused with Riverstone in Sugar Land). New construction from Lennar and others, build-out from the late 2000s through current. HISD elementary, MUD exposure, fastest Med Center commute in the corridor.
77047 · HISD · Newer
City Gate
Newer City Gate master-planned development in north 77047. Mid-2010s through current build-out, smaller community footprint than Riverstone Ranch, HISD elementary, similar Med Center commute pattern.
77045 · HISD · Established
Almeda Plaza & Sims Bayou
Established 77045 neighborhoods south of the Beltway. Older homes, larger lots, lower entry pricing than Riverstone Ranch, HISD elementary, no MUD exposure on most blocks.
77048 · HISD · Established
Brookhaven & South Park
Established 77048 neighborhoods further south. Older inventory, larger lots, the corridor’s most affordable entry point, HISD elementary feeders.
Schools, Taxes, MUDs
The three things nobody warns Medical Center South buyers about until close.
The corridor’s value tier comes with three consideration areas that buyers from out-of-state often miss. I walk every Medical Center South buyer through these before we write the first offer.
Houston ISD & Pearland ISD
Most of the Medical Center South corridor sits in Harris County and feeds Houston ISD. The 77047 portion of Pearland (south of FM 518) sits in Brazoria County and feeds Pearland ISD — a meaningful difference for buyers searching ‘Pearland’ who land on north-77047 listings. HISD elementary ratings vary across the corridor; always verify the specific school assignment at the address.
Property Tax Rate
Harris County effective property tax rates in Medical Center South typically land in the 2.4–3.1% range depending on which 77047 MUD or Houston ISD jurisdiction applies. Riverstone Ranch and City Gate sit at the top of the range due to MUD bonded debt; older 77045 and 77048 sections outside any MUD often run lower.
MUD & PID Districts
The newer 77047 master-planned tracts (Riverstone Ranch, City Gate) sit inside Municipal Utility Districts that carry bonded debt. Older 77045 and 77048 sections inside the City of Houston municipal boundary generally don’t. The title commitment lists every district for the specific address.
Why People Pick Medical Center South
Med Center commute, newer construction, real value.
The Medical Center South corridor’s lifestyle pull is straightforward: shortest Med Center commute in Greater Houston outside the Inner Loop, newer-construction inventory at lower per-square-foot than Bellaire or West University, and access to Houston’s deepest medical-employment base. Pearland Town Center handles the corridor’s larger retail; the Med Center itself is 12–18 minutes north. The corridor’s dining is thinner than Pearland or Bellaire — many residents drive to Pearland Town Center, the Med Center area, or downtown for dinner out. Recreation includes the Sims Bayou Greenway, Hermann Park to the north, and quick access to Pearland’s recreation infrastructure.
On the connectivity side, Medical Center South sits along Highway 288 between Beltway 8 and Loop 610. The Texas Medical Center runs 12–18 minutes north via 288 (including the toll lanes that opened in 2020). Downtown Houston is 18–25 minutes off-peak. Hobby Airport is 20 minutes east. Pearland Town Center is 10 minutes south. For Med Center physicians and staff, the corridor delivers one of the strongest commute-to-cost ratios in the metro.
Medical Center South FAQ
The questions Medical Center South buyers actually ask.
Is Medical Center South a good place to live?
For Texas Medical Center physicians, residents, staff, and families wanting a short Med Center commute at lower per-square-foot than Bellaire or West University, yes. The corridor scores high on commute time (12–18 minutes to Med Center via Highway 288), newer-construction inventory in Riverstone Ranch and City Gate, and access to Pearland Town Center retail. Trade-offs include thinner immediate dining than Pearland or Bellaire, MUD exposure in the master-planned tracts, and a school-district pattern that varies by ZIP.
What’s the average home price in Medical Center South?
Medical Center South home prices range broadly. Entry-level homes in older 77045 and 77048 sections start in the low $200s, mid-tier resale in Riverstone Ranch and City Gate sits in the $300s, and newer master-planned estate sections can run $400k–$500k. The corridor sits at a meaningful discount to Inner Loop alternatives at every tier.
Where is Medical Center South in Houston?
Medical Center South is the corridor between the Texas Medical Center and Pearland, encompassing ZIP codes 77047, 77045, and 77048. It sits south of Loop 610 along Highway 288, north of FM 518, and entirely inside Harris County (the Pearland ZIPs that fall in Brazoria County are a separate market).
What’s the school district in Medical Center South?
Houston ISD covers most of the Medical Center South corridor (77047 north of FM 518, 77045, 77048). The Pearland portion of 77047 (south of FM 518) sits in Brazoria County and feeds Pearland ISD. Always confirm the school zoning at the specific address before writing an offer.
What about flooding in Medical Center South?
Houston flood diligence is part of every home search regardless of neighborhood. Sims Bayou runs through the corridor, and parts of older 77045 and 77048 sit near the bayou floodplain. For any Medical Center South home you tour with me, I pull the FEMA flood-zone map by address, review the seller’s disclosure for prior events, and confirm the flood-insurance quote sits in your real cost-of-ownership picture.
What is Riverstone Ranch in 77047?
Riverstone Ranch is a master-planned community in Houston’s 77047 ZIP, built primarily from the late 2000s through current development by Lennar and other builders. It’s not the same as Riverstone in Sugar Land — that’s a separate Fort Bend community. 77047 Riverstone Ranch carries Houston ISD elementary zoning, MUD exposure, and the corridor’s deepest newer-construction resale inventory.
How long is the Medical Center South commute to the Texas Medical Center?
The drive from central Medical Center South (77047) to the Texas Medical Center via Highway 288 runs roughly 12–18 minutes off-peak and 20–30 minutes during morning rush. The 288 toll lanes opened in 2020 and shorten peak commutes meaningfully for drivers willing to pay the toll. Downtown Houston is 18–25 minutes off-peak.
Do I need a REALTOR® to buy a new construction home in Medical Center South?
Yes. The on-site sales agent at any Medical Center South new-construction community — Riverstone Ranch, City Gate — represents the builder, not you. As your buyer’s agent I negotiate incentives, rate buy-downs, lot premiums, and upgrade pricing on your behalf. The builder pays the buyer’s agent commission out of its budget.
Ready to talk through Medical Center South?
I’ll pull current Houston Association of REALTORS® data on Medical Center South, walk through the sub-areas that fit your Med Center commute and HISD priorities, and lay out the school zoning, MUD exposure, and flood considerations for any address you’re tracking. No pressure, no obligation, no auto-drip.
