Clear Lake Area Zips
The "Clear Lake" area is a collection of zip codes and incorporated cities clustered around Clear Lake itself, NASA Johnson Space Center, and the upper Galveston Bay shoreline. Each zip has a slightly different character and price band.
77058 (Clear Lake City Core)
77058 covers the core of Clear Lake City, an unincorporated Houston community surrounding NASA. Mix of older single family neighborhoods built in the 1960s and 1970s alongside NASA development, plus newer infill. Typical pricing $250K to $500K. Walking and biking distance to NASA Road 1 retail and to the Gulf Coast Big Tex Outdoor businesses along Bay Area Boulevard.
77059 (Clear Lake Forest, University Park)
77059 covers Clear Lake Forest, University Park, and the area immediately south of UH-Clear Lake. Pricing typically $350K to $700K+ with larger lots and a more wooded feel. Clear Lake Forest is the established higher-end pocket of single family inventory in the area.
77062 (Clear Lake / Friendswood Border)
77062 covers the western edge of Clear Lake near the Friendswood city line. Mix of single family neighborhoods from the 1970s through 2000s, several master-planned pockets, and easy access to I-45 for the Houston commute. Pricing typically $300K to $550K. Some homes are zoned to Friendswood ISD rather than CCISD, so we always confirm the school district for a specific address.
Nearby incorporated cities round out the area. Nassau Bay (population ~5,000) sits directly across NASA Road 1 from Johnson Space Center and includes the Lakeshore neighborhood with extensive waterfront access. El Lago (population ~2,500) sits east along the Clear Lake shoreline with its own waterfront homes. Taylor Lake Village (population ~3,800) is north of NASA across Armand Bayou with canal access for many homes.
Schools
Clear Lake is served by Clear Creek ISD (CCISD). The most commonly zoned high schools are Clear Brook, Clear Falls, Clear Lake, and Clear Springs. CCISD generally rates favorably for academic performance, and the district has strong AP, International Baccalaureate, and STEM programming. The science and engineering emphasis reflects the surrounding aerospace and tech employment base.
The University of Houston-Clear Lake campus sits in the heart of the area at the corner of Bay Area Boulevard and Middlebrook. UH-Clear Lake offers undergraduate and graduate programs with particular strength in computer science, aerospace engineering, and business.
Several blocks in 77062 are zoned to Friendswood ISD rather than CCISD. Friendswood ISD also rates highly, but the zoning matters for resale and for family planning. We confirm the exact district for any specific address before you write an offer.
Why Clear Lake Works for Aerospace Professionals
NASA Johnson Space Center is the primary employment hub, but the surrounding aerospace ecosystem is wider than NASA itself. Boeing's Starliner program, Lockheed Martin's Orion spacecraft work, SpaceX's Dragon recovery operations, Axiom Space's commercial space station program, and dozens of contractors all operate facilities within 10 minutes of Clear Lake.
The result is a dense concentration of engineers, scientists, and operations specialists. Many households are dual-income aerospace or dual-income engineering, which supports the area's $350K to $700K price band and the strong public school demand.
The commute math is straightforward. Most aerospace employees work within 10 minutes of home. There is no daily slog into downtown Houston for the majority of the working population. That's structurally different from most Houston suburbs.
Flood Insurance Reality
Parts of Clear Lake sit in coastal flood zones, and the area has experienced flooding in major storms including Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Elevation differences within Clear Lake can be significant, which means two homes a few blocks apart may carry very different flood risk and insurance costs.
FEMA flood zones in the area include Zone X (low risk), Zone AE (1% annual chance, requires flood insurance for federally backed mortgages), and Zone VE (coastal high hazard with wave action, very limited availability and higher premiums). Homes near Armand Bayou, Clear Lake itself, and the upper Galveston Bay shoreline are most likely to fall in AE or VE.
Flood insurance premiums can range from $500/year for non-mandatory Zone X policies to $4,000+/year for Zone AE policies and higher for VE. We pull the FEMA flood map and Hurricane Harvey flood claim history for every property, factor flood insurance into the total monthly payment, and confirm whether the seller has a transferable elevation certificate (which can lower premiums materially).
Loan Programs
Clear Lake's wide price band and demographic mix means several loan types are common. The right program depends on the specific situation.
- VA Loans. Heavy usage in Clear Lake because of the veteran population among NASA contractors and aerospace firms. Zero down, no mortgage insurance, competitive rates. 2025 VA loan limit aligns with the conforming limit at $766,550 in Harris County with full entitlement.
- FHA Loans. 3.5% down with flexible credit requirements. Strong fit for first time buyers at the $250K to $450K range. The 2025 FHA loan limit in Harris County is $524,225.
- Conventional Loans. 3% to 5% down for qualified borrowers. Common for move-up buyers and dual-income aerospace households. The 2025 conforming limit covers nearly all Clear Lake inventory.
- TSAHC (Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation). Down payment assistance for first time and repeat buyers meeting income limits. Fits the $250K to $400K Clear Lake range well.
- Jumbo Loans. For the upper end of Clear Lake Forest, Taylor Lake Village waterfront, and Nassau Bay bayfront homes that cross the conforming limit.
- Renovation Loans. FHA 203(k) and conventional renovation loans bundle the purchase price and renovation budget into a single mortgage. Common for older Clear Lake homes that need updating.
Clear Lake mortgage tip: Flood insurance is often the single largest variable in the total monthly payment after principal, interest, and property tax. We model PITI plus flood insurance from day one. Two homes at the same list price can produce very different monthly payments after flood insurance is included. Use our mortgage calculator to model your scenario.
The InSync Bundle in Clear Lake
InSync's Bundle pays up to $7,500 back at closing when one team handles both the purchase and the mortgage. On a typical Clear Lake purchase in the $300K to $500K range, the $7,500 represents meaningful closing cost coverage, often enough to cover the entire cash-to-close gap for a VA buyer with no down payment.
For aerospace professionals relocating to Houston for a NASA contractor or new aerospace startup, we coordinate the move start to finish: relocation pre-qualification (often before the first house tour), flood zone analysis across candidate neighborhoods, VA or conventional structuring, and closing on the seller's timeline.
For sellers, the same coordination applies. We pre-qualify interested buyers in real time, factor flood insurance and VA loan timelines into offer evaluation, and keep the financing side from becoming the failure point.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clear Lake Real Estate
Who is a good Clear Lake realtor?
Ben Helstein and Cynthia Helstein at InSync Homes & Loans cover Clear Lake across 77058, 77059, and 77062. The dual-licensed model matters in Clear Lake because flood zone analysis, VA loan structuring, and the wide price range from $250K starter homes to $700K+ waterfront all benefit from one team running both the real estate and the mortgage. NMLS #1577314. Call (713) 548-7350.
What's the average home price in Clear Lake Houston?
Clear Lake home prices typically run $250K to $700K with a median around $340K. The lower end includes townhomes and older single family in 77058 near the NASA Road 1 corridor. The higher end runs in Clear Lake Forest (77059) and waterfront pockets in Taylor Lake Village and Nassau Bay, where larger homes on bayfront or canal lots can cross $700K to $1.5M.
What schools serve Clear Lake?
Clear Lake is served by Clear Creek ISD (CCISD). High schools include Clear Brook, Clear Falls, Clear Lake, and Clear Springs. CCISD generally rates favorably for academic performance, and the district has strong AP, IB, and STEM programs that reflect the aerospace and engineering demographic of the area. Specific zoning depends on the address.
Is Clear Lake in a flood zone?
Parts of Clear Lake sit in coastal flood zones, particularly addresses near Armand Bayou, Clear Lake itself, and the Galveston Bay shoreline. Some homes experienced flooding during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and other storms. Elevation differences within the area can be significant. We pull the FEMA flood map and Hurricane Harvey flood history for every property before you write an offer, and we model flood insurance into the total monthly housing payment.
How far is Clear Lake from NASA Johnson Space Center?
Most Clear Lake addresses sit within 5 to 10 minutes of NASA Johnson Space Center, which is the primary employment hub for the area. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Axiom Space, and dozens of aerospace contractors operate facilities adjacent to JSC. The proximity is the reason Clear Lake became a residential community in the first place and continues to drive demand from aerospace professionals.
Can I use a VA loan in Clear Lake?
Yes, and Clear Lake has one of the highest concentrations of VA loan usage in the Houston metro because of the veteran population among NASA contractors, Boeing, and the broader aerospace sector. VA loans offer zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive rates. The 2025 VA loan limit aligns with the conforming limit at $766,550 in Harris County for veterans with full entitlement, with higher amounts available with down payment.
What's the difference between Clear Lake City, Nassau Bay, and El Lago?
Clear Lake City is an unincorporated community within the City of Houston, covering most of 77058 and 77062. Nassau Bay is an incorporated city of about 5,000 residents directly across NASA Road 1 from Johnson Space Center, with its own city services and a heavy concentration of waterfront homes. El Lago is a smaller incorporated city east of Nassau Bay on the Clear Lake shoreline, also with waterfront access. All three sit in Clear Creek ISD.
Ben Helstein | NMLS# 1577314 | InSync Homes & Loans | Equal Housing Opportunity