Pearland, Alvin and Manvel are in Brazoria County, south of Houston along SH 288 and FM 518. Pearland, a city of about 126,000 at the 2020 Census, has grown from a farm town into one of the region's larger suburbs, helped by its direct route north to the Texas Medical Center. Manvel, to the southwest, and Alvin, farther south, add newer master-planned communities and a small-town downtown.
The area at a glance
Pearland Town Center, an open-air shopping, dining and entertainment center at SH 288 and Broadway, is the area's main retail hub. Shadow Creek Ranch, a 3,500-acre master-planned community in west Pearland, sits about 10 miles from the Medical Center. Clear Creek runs through Pearland, and the Delores Fenwick Nature Center offers trails and exhibits. Manvel, along SH 288 and SH 6, has added large master-planned communities such as Pomona in recent years, and Alvin has a historic downtown and Alvin Community College.
On our site, the area covers ZIP codes 77581, 77584, 77511 and 77578. The Census figures below use the City of Pearland, from the American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020–2024).
Getting around
Walk Score rates Pearland 21 out of 100 for walking ("Car-Dependent"), with a Bike Score of 36, at the time of writing. Plan on a car for almost everything.
SH 288 is the key commute route. It runs north to the Texas Medical Center and downtown, and its express toll lanes offer a faster option in heavy traffic. Beltway 8 crosses Pearland's north side, and FM 518 (Broadway) runs east to west through the city toward Friendswood and League City. I-45 is reachable to the east, and William P. Hobby Airport is a short drive north. Pearland is not in METRO's service area, so commuters who want transit typically drive to a lot such as Fannin South at the end of the METRORail Red Line. The Census puts mean travel time to work at 32.7 minutes for the City of Pearland.
What's nearby
Shopping. Pearland Town Center and the retail along SH 288 and Broadway cover most needs.
Parks. The Delores Fenwick Nature Center has trails and exhibits, and Pearland's park system includes trails along Clear Creek.
Food. Killen's Barbecue on East Broadway holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Killen's Steakhouse on West Broadway reopened in September 2026 after a three-month renovation.
Medical Center access. The area's most practical feature may be the drive: SH 288 runs straight to the Texas Medical Center, which the TMC says employs more than 120,000 people.
The apartment landscape
- Garden-style communities are the main type, many relatively new, along SH 288, Broadway, Pearland Parkway and in Shadow Creek Ranch, with resort-style pools, fitness centers and garages.
- Build-to-rent communities of homes and townhomes designed for leasing, especially near SH 288 and in Manvel.
- Single-family homes for rent in Pearland's and Manvel's master-planned neighborhoods.
- Older garden communities in Alvin and central Pearland, typically at lower price points.
The Census reports a median gross rent of $1,860 a month for the City of Pearland (ACS 2024 5-year), and about 24% of its occupied homes were renter-occupied. Gross rent is the Census measure of contract rent plus estimated utilities, and it covers every rented home in the ZIP, from older duplexes to new towers, so treat it as a baseline rather than a quote for any one building. Call us for current pricing.
Tips for renting in Pearland, Alvin and Manvel
- Live near 288 if you work in the Medical Center. A building close to an SH 288 entrance can save real time compared with one across town on Broadway.
- Price the express lanes. If you plan to use SH 288's toll lanes daily, add the cost to your monthly budget.
- Ask about utilities and MUD fees. Many newer properties sit in municipal utility districts or bill water and sewer back. Ask for typical monthly totals.
- Read the flood disclosure. Clear Creek and other waterways drain the area. Texas Property Code §92.0135 requires landlords to tell you in writing whether a unit is in a 100-year floodplain and whether it has flooded in the past five years.
- Compare apartments with build-to-rent if you want a yard, at a similar monthly cost.
- Ask about nearby construction. In master-planned communities that are still building out, ask what is planned next to the property, since new phases can bring construction traffic and noise for a while.
- Read concessions as effective rent, and ask which lease terms qualify.
Start your search in Pearland, Alvin and Manvel
Our neighborhood guide to Pearland, Alvin and Manvel maps every 4-star-and-above building we work with in the area. When you are ready, tell us your budget, move date and must-haves on Find Your Apartment, or call us at (713) 357-6339. We do in one conversation what takes most renters weeks on their own — and the properties pay us, so it costs you nothing.
Sources
- www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/pearlandcitytexas/POP010220
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearland_Town_Center
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Creek_Ranch
- www.parks.pearlandtx.gov/facilities/delores-fenwick-nature-center
- www.alvincollege.edu/
- www.walkscore.com/TX/Pearland
- www.ridemetro.org/riding-metro/accessing-metro/by-car
- guide.michelin.com/us/en/texas/pearland_2986629/restaurant/killen-s-bb
- communityimpact.com/pearland-friendswood-manvel/dining/killen-s-steakh
- censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B25064&geo_ids=16000US4856348
- statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PR/htm/PR.92.htm