Thompsons, TX

Just a dozen miles southeast of Richmond in Fort Bend County, Thompsons is a tiny, peaceful community of under 200 residents. It offers the quiet feel of open countryside while keeping you within a reasonable drive of Sugar Land and the greater Houston area. The town got its start back in the 1830s, eventually growing around a Santa Fe railroad stop named after local landowner Hiram Thompson, and it still retains that slow-paced rural character today.

ATTRDjmaschek / CC BY-SA 3.0

Daily life here is spread out and relaxed, bordered by Smithers Lake and open fields on the way to the Brazos River. For families thinking about moving to the area, local students are zoned to the well-regarded Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, including George Ranch High School. The town also has some fun local trivia, having served as a filming location for a couple of 1990s films. If you want plenty of space and genuine small-town quiet while staying close to suburban conveniences, Thompsons is worth a look.