West University vs Bellaire: Which Fits Your Move?
Both are small cities surrounded by Houston, both have their own police, parks and city services, and both send many children to Houston ISD schools. West University is closer in and costs more. Bellaire has larger lots for the money and more flood risk. Here is the side-by-side.
| West University Place | Bellaire | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, last 12 months | $1,725,000 (230 sales), up 1% from $1,700,000 | $1,200,000 (219 sales), up 2% from $1,175,000 |
| Median price per square foot | $517 | $319 |
| Median days to sell | 10 | 14 |
| Homes | Mostly new two-story homes built where 1930s and 1940s cottages stood, on smaller city lots | Mid-century ranch homes and new construction on larger lots, some raised after flooding |
| Zoned schools | West University Elementary, Pershing Middle, Lamar High | Condit, Horn or Lovett Elementary; Pershing Middle; Bellaire High |
| Property taxes, example | A $1,825,000 home pays about $33,560 a year, about $26,540 with the homestead exemption | A $1,239,000 home pays about $25,200, about $19,020 with the homestead exemption |
| Drive to the Medical Center | About 7 minutes | About 9 minutes |
| Floodplain share | About 25% in the 100-year floodplain and 63% more in the 500-year zone | About 79% in the 100-year floodplain and 16% more in the 500-year zone |
| Hurricane Harvey flood claims | ZIP 77005: 214 | ZIP 77401: 2,087 |
Sales figures: HAR MLS (Houston Association of Realtors) closed sales of single-family homes, townhomes and condos, November 2025 through October 2026, compared with November 2024 through October 2025, by HAR market area; pulled by Compean Group November 9, 2026. Data not verified or guaranteed by the MLS. Tax examples, drive times, flood shares and school notes come from our neighborhood guides, where each source is cited. West University is HAR’s West University/Southside market area, which also includes Southside Place; Bellaire is HAR’s Bellaire Area.
Prices
The median West University sale was $1,725,000 over the last 12 months, against $1,200,000 in Bellaire. Per square foot the gap is wider, $517 against $319, because West U lots are smaller and closer in. Homes sold fast in both: a median of 10 days in West U and 14 in Bellaire.
Schools
West University Elementary is the zoned elementary for West U, and Bellaire is split among Condit, Horn and Lovett. Both cities feed Pershing Middle. West U goes to Lamar High; Bellaire to Bellaire High. Pin Oak Middle School, in Bellaire, admits by application.
Flooding
This is the biggest difference. About 79% of Bellaire sits in FEMA’s 100-year floodplain, and Harvey produced 2,087 flood insurance claims in ZIP 77401; many Bellaire homes have since been raised or rebuilt above flood level. West University has less 100-year floodplain but a large share in the 500-year zone. Ask for the elevation certificate on any home in either city.
Which fits your move
Choose West University for the shortest drive to the Medical Center and Rice, and if the budget is $1.5 million or more. Choose Bellaire for more house and land for the money, especially a home already built or raised above the floodplain.
Questions buyers ask about West University and Bellaire
Is West University more expensive than Bellaire?
Yes. The median sale over the last 12 months was $1,725,000 in West University and $1,200,000 in Bellaire (HAR MLS, November 2025 through October 2026).
Do West University and Bellaire have their own schools?
No. Both are served by Houston ISD. West U is zoned to West University Elementary, Pershing Middle and Lamar High; Bellaire to Condit, Horn or Lovett Elementary, Pershing Middle and Bellaire High.
Does Bellaire flood?
Parts of it have. About 79% of Bellaire is in the 100-year floodplain and ZIP 77401 had 2,087 Harvey flood insurance claims. Many homes have been raised or rebuilt since, so check each home’s elevation certificate.
Talk with our team
Related guides: West University guide · Bellaire guide · Meyerland and Westbury guide · Flood zones and elevation certificates
Updated November 9, 2026