Cypress, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cypress, Texas
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Country | United States |
State | Texas |
County | Harris |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 200,839 |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP codes |
77429, 77433
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Area code(s) | 281/346/713/832 |
Cypress is a large community in Harris County, Texas, United States. It is not officially a city but is located very close to Houston. The area is about 35 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of Downtown Houston. Cypress is known for being one of the wealthiest urban areas in the United States.
Starting in the 1980s, many homes and businesses were built here. This changed Cypress from a quiet rural area into a big suburban community. If Cypress were to become an official city, it would be one of the largest in the Greater Houston area and in Texas.
Contents
History of Cypress
People have lived in the Cypress area for a very long time. Ancient tools found nearby show that humans were here as early as 7500 BC. Later, Native American tribes like the Atakapa and Akokisa lived in this area.
In the 1840s, German settlers arrived in Cypress. You can still see their influence in street names like Huffmeister and Telge Roads. In 1836, General Sam Houston and his Texas Army camped here before the Battle of San Jacinto.
The area stayed mostly rural until the early 1990s. That's when developers started building large, planned communities. The name "Cy-Fair" or "Cypress-Fairbanks" comes from the Big Cypress School and Fairbanks High School. They joined together in the 1930s to form Cy-Fair Senior High School and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District.
In 2008, the Cypress Historical Society (CHS) was created. This group works to find, save, and share historical items and information about Cypress. They hold events to teach people about the area's past.
Geography and Location
Cypress is located near where US Highway 290 and Spring-Cypress Road meet. It sits within the Cypress Creek and Little Cypress Creek areas. There are no exact official borders for Cypress. However, common roads that mark its general area include FM 529 to the south, HWY 6 and FM 1960 to the east, and HWY 249 to the north.
The land in Cypress has two different looks, divided by Highway 290. Northeast of US 290, the area is heavily forested with many trees. Southwest of 290, it is mostly open ranch land and grassy fields. You can see scattered scrub brush and oak trees like Live oaks and Post oaks there.
Many neighborhoods in Cypress are built around man-made lakes. Major roads that help people get around include Highway 290 and State Highway 249.
Climate and Weather
Cypress has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.
Because it is close to the gulf coast, Cypress sometimes experiences tropical storms and hurricanes. Some major storms that have affected the area include Hurricane Alicia in 1983, Hurricane Ike in 2008, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Experts say that Cypress has a minor risk of flooding in the future. This means that flooding could sometimes affect daily life in the area.
Population and People
In 2020, about 200,839 people lived in the two main ZIP codes for Cypress (77429 and 77433). There were also 66,150 homes in the area.
The average household income in Cypress, Texas, was about $138,261. The median household income was $116,054.
Healthcare Services
Cypress has several major hospitals. These include HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress and Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital.
Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital is also being built. It is expected to open in early 2025.
Government and Public Services
The Cypress area is protected by two professional fire departments: Cy-Fair Fire Department and Cypress Creek FD. The city of Jersey Village also helps with fire services.
The United States Postal Service has a post office in Cypress on Spring Cypress Road. Law enforcement in Cypress is handled by the Harris County Constable Precinct 4 and 5 and the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Economy and Jobs
In 2023, OpenDoor.com named Cypress (ZIP code 77433) as the number one "hottest" ZIP code for people buying homes in the United States. In 2010, Sysco, a large food service company, bought a building in Cypress. They set up a shared services center there for their distribution centers across North America.
Education in Cypress
Public Schools
Cypress is mainly served by the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) and also by Tomball ISD. CFISD is the third largest school district in Texas. It is also one of the fastest-growing districts in the United States, serving over 118,000 students as of 2024.
High school students in CFISD attend schools like Cy-Fair Senior High School, Cypress Lakes High School, Jersey Village High School, Cypress Creek High School, Cypress Falls High School, Cypress Woods High School, Cypress Springs High School, Langham Creek High School, Cypress Ridge High School, Cypress Ranch High School, Cypress Park High School, and Bridgeland High School.
Windfern High School offers a different way to graduate for students who are accepted from these high school zones.
Private Schools
There are several private schools in Cypress. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School is a K-8 Roman Catholic school. Cypress Christian School is a K–12 private school. Covenant Academy is a K-12 Classical Christian School. The Oaks Adventist Christian School is also located in Cypress.
For Catholic high school students, nearby options include Frassati Catholic High School and Saint John XXIII High School. St. Thomas High School, an all-boys high school in Houston, offers a bus service for students from the Cypress area. Silverline Montessori School is another private Montessori school in Cypress.
Colleges and Universities
Lone Star College serves the Cypress community. The Lone Star College–CyFair campus is located in Cypress.
Public Libraries
The Harris County Public Library (HCPL) operates public libraries in Cypress. The LSC-Cyfair Library is a partnership between HCPL and Lone Star College System. It is located on the Lone Star College–CyFair campus. The Northwest Branch Library is also in Cypress.
Famous People from Cypress
Many notable people have connections to Cypress:
- Cammile Adams, an Olympic swimmer.
- Mary Kay Ash, who founded Mary Kay Cosmetics.
- Shane Baz, a baseball player for the Tampa Bay Rays.
- Danielle Bradbery, winner of NBC's The Voice.
- Bryce Callahan, a professional football player.
- De'Aaron Fox, a professional basketball player.
- Nneka Ogwumike, a professional basketball player.
- Robbie Grossman, a professional baseball player.
- Jonathan Horton, an Olympic gymnast.
- Ryan Kaji, a child YouTube star.
- Iris Kyle, a ten-time Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder.
- Jared Lakind, an American-Israeli professional baseball pitcher.
- Chiney Ogwumike, a basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks.
- Tony Oller, an actor and singer-songwriter.
- Cat Osterman, an American softball player and two-time Olympic medalist.
- Didi Richards, a basketball player for the New York Liberty.
- Fred Whitfield, a rodeo cowboy.