Carlton Woods vs Carlton Woods Creekside

Carlton Woods and Carlton Woods Creekside share a name, a club, and gated entries, but they sit in different villages, different counties, and different school districts. The original Carlton Woods is in the Village of Sterling Ridge (Montgomery County, ZIP 77382) and is built around the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, which opened in 2001. Carlton Woods Creekside is in the Village of Creekside Park (Harris County, ZIP 77389) and is built around the Tom Fazio Championship Course, which opened in 2005, according to The Club at Carlton Woods. The county line is the difference buyers feel most: The Woodlands Development Company's 2025 tax sheet puts the combined Creekside Park rate at $2.43 per $100 of value, compared with $1.84 for the Sterling Ridge MUD 46 row. As of September 2026, both sections had active listings above $10 million on Movoto.

Are Carlton Woods and Carlton Woods Creekside the Same Community?

They are two gated sections under one brand, not one continuous neighborhood. Each sits in a different village of The Woodlands, so the two sections are a drive apart, and each has its own gate and owners association.

• Carlton Woods (the original section) "originally was a village in its own right" and is now part of Sterling Ridge, according to Community Impact. Community Impact's neighborhood profile dates its opening to 2001, the same year as the Nicklaus course, and describes it as a gated community with 24/7 security. Street names on current listings include Palmiera, Kingscote, Electra, and Grand Regency.

• Carlton Woods Creekside is what The Club at Carlton Woods calls the "500-acre expansion of The Woodlands' gated community of Carlton Woods," bordering the Village of Creekside Park. Its Fazio course debuted in 2005 on the bluffs of Spring Creek, and its clubhouse opened in September 2007. Creekside Park is "the only village to extend across the Montgomery County line and into Harris County," according to Community Impact.

Both sections are built around custom estate homes rather than production-builder product. For a full profile of the original section, see our Carlton Woods luxury community guide.

How Do the Two Sections Compare Side by Side?

The tax figures are the combined MUD, county, school, and Township rates from The Woodlands Development Company's 2025 sheet. They are rates set in fall 2024 and payable in 2025. The listing counts come from Movoto's Carlton Woods page and Movoto's Carlton Woods Creekside page in September 2026, and they change daily.

What Is the Difference Between the Nicklaus and Fazio Courses?

The Nicklaus Signature Course is the original. It opened in 2001 in the original Sterling Ridge section, with the Nicklaus Clubhouse at One Carlton Woods Drive. The Club at Carlton Woods reports that Golf Digest named it "Best New Private Course in Texas" and "#3 Best New Private Course in the U.S." The club adds that in 2014 Jack Nicklaus named it one of his "Top 18 Course Designs."

The Fazio Championship Course opened in 2005 inside Carlton Woods Creekside. According to the club, it plays 7,358 yards over rolling ground on the bluffs of Spring Creek, and Golf Digest gave it the same pair of "Best New" honors. Its clubhouse is at One Carlton Woods Creekside Drive.

The club says both courses have appeared in rankings from Golf Digest, Golfweek, and the Dallas Morning News. For buyers, the practical question is which course sits outside the back windows. To see how these two courses compare with other golf addresses nearby, read our best golf communities in The Woodlands and North Houston guide.

Does Buying a Home Include Membership in The Club at Carlton Woods?

Treat the home purchase and the club membership as two separate decisions. The Club at Carlton Woods offers two equity membership types:

• Equity Golf: golf, tennis, fitness, the pool, dining, social events, the spa, and private rooms at both clubhouses.

• Equity Sports/Social: the same amenities without the golf courses.

Both membership types give access to both clubhouses, whichever section the member lives in. The club does not publish initiation fees or dues on its public site. Buyers should get current terms directly from the club's membership office before they make an offer, not after closing.

How Do Property Taxes Compare Between the Two Sections?

The county line matters most here. Carlton Woods is in Montgomery County and is appraised by MCAD. Carlton Woods Creekside is in Harris County and is appraised by HCAD. Each district sets its own values and runs its own protest process.

The rates are also different. Here are the rows from The Woodlands Development Company's 2025 tax sheet:

• Sterling Ridge (MUD 46): MUD rate $0.1813, county rate $0.5363, Conroe ISD rate $0.9496, and Township rate $0.1714, for a total of $1.84 per $100.

• Creekside Park (MUD 386): MUD rate $0.4400, county rate $0.754592 (including ESD 11), Tomball ISD rate $1.0629, and Township rate $0.1714, for a total of $2.43 per $100.

The Montgomery County total that applies to The Woodlands is $0.5363. The Harris County total is $0.716298, which includes flood control, the Port of Houston Authority, and the Harris County hospital district. Both sections pay the same Township rate of $0.1714.

On a $3 million taxable value, the gap of about $0.59 per $100 works out to roughly $17,700 a year before exemptions. That is simple arithmetic on the published rates, not a tax bill. MUD boundaries don't always follow village lines, so confirm the exact MUD and current certified rates for a specific address with the appraisal district. Our guide to property taxes, exemptions, and MUDs in The Woodlands explains how the pieces fit together.

Which School Districts Serve Carlton Woods and Carlton Woods Creekside?

The two sections are in different school districts. This is a zoning fact, not a ranking. The 2025 tax sheet notes that all areas of The Woodlands except Creekside Park and May Valley are served by Conroe ISD, and that Creekside Park pays Tomball ISD taxes.

• Carlton Woods (Sterling Ridge): Conroe ISD. Published sources name different campuses for this section, so check Conroe ISD's attendance-zone tool for any specific address.

• Carlton Woods Creekside (Creekside Park): Tomball ISD, which Wikipedia's summary of The Woodlands also lists for the Creekside Park Village in Harris County. Tomball ISD's District Zone Reset redraws high school boundaries for 2026-27 across Tomball, Tomball Memorial, and Tomball West high schools, so older listings may not reflect the current assignment.

In both sections, verify school zoning with the district for the exact address before relying on it. Our schools guide for The Woodlands covers both districts' attendance-zone resources.

How Do Home Prices Compare in September 2026?

Both sections are thin markets. A single listing can move the averages, so treat any summary figure with caution.

In Carlton Woods, Movoto reported a median list price of $3.62 million in September 2026, a median of $471 per square foot, and a median of 60 days on market. The page showed 12 active listings: nine homes from $1,750,000 to $10,500,000 and three lots from $650,000 to $3,995,000. The listed homes ranged from 4,650 to 30,717 square feet.

In Carlton Woods Creekside, Movoto showed 16 active listings in the same month: nine homes from $2,195,000 to $10,500,000 and seven lots from $799,000 to $2,750,000. The listed homes ranged from 4,880 to 15,577 square feet. Movoto did not publish a median for this section, so we have not calculated one.

The price ranges overlap and share the same top list price, so neither section is "the cheaper one" as a rule. Creekside also had more land listed, so buyers who plan to build have more lots to choose from there right now. For address-level pricing, recent closed sales matter more than any list-price median. The Carlton Woods and Eastshore comparison in our Carlton Woods vs Eastshore guide walks through the same exercise against East Shore.

How Old Are the Homes in Each Section?

The original section is older. Community Impact dates Carlton Woods to 2001, the year the Nicklaus course opened. Carlton Woods Creekside came later, with its Fazio course opening in 2005 and its clubhouse in September 2007. That means the original section's earliest homes date to the early 2000s, so ask whether roofs, mechanical systems, and finishes have been replaced. Creekside still had seven lots listed in September 2026, so some newer construction continues there. In either section, the inspection tells you more about condition than the year built.

How Are the Gates and Associations Different?

Both sections are gated, and they are governed by different associations:

• Carlton Woods: Community Impact describes the original section as a gated community with 24/7 security. Ask for the association's governing documents and architectural review requirements for the specific address.

• Carlton Woods Creekside: Texas Ally lists Carlton Woods Creekside Association, Inc. as a property owners association in Harris County, with a $375 resale certificate fee.

We could not verify either association's assessment from a public source, so request current dues, any special assessments, and the deed restrictions during the option period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carlton Woods Creekside part of Carlton Woods?

It shares the Carlton Woods brand and The Club at Carlton Woods, but it is a separate gated section with its own owners association (Carlton Woods Creekside Association, Inc.). Carlton Woods is in the Village of Sterling Ridge in Montgomery County. Carlton Woods Creekside is in the Village of Creekside Park in Harris County.

Which Carlton Woods section has the Fazio course?

Carlton Woods Creekside has the Tom Fazio Championship Course, which opened in 2005 and plays 7,358 yards, according to The Club at Carlton Woods. The original Carlton Woods section in Sterling Ridge has the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, which opened in 2001. Each section has its own clubhouse.

Are property taxes higher in Carlton Woods Creekside?

According to The Woodlands Development Company's 2025 tax sheet, the combined rate was $2.43 per $100 for Creekside Park (MUD 386, Tomball ISD, Harris County), compared with $1.84 for the Sterling Ridge MUD 46 row (Conroe ISD, Montgomery County). Rates change every year, so confirm the current rates for a specific address.

What school district is Carlton Woods Creekside in?

Carlton Woods Creekside is in Tomball ISD. The original Carlton Woods section is in Conroe ISD. Tomball ISD is resetting its high school attendance boundaries for 2026-27, so check the district's attendance-zone map for the exact address before relying on any listing's school information.

Do I have to join the club if I buy in Carlton Woods?

The Club at Carlton Woods offers Equity Golf and Equity Sports/Social memberships, and both give access to both clubhouses. Treat membership as a separate decision from the home purchase. The club does not post fees publicly, so confirm the current terms with its membership office.

Which section costs more?

Neither section is cheaper as a rule. In September 2026, Movoto showed homes listed from $1,750,000 to $10,500,000 in Carlton Woods and from $2,195,000 to $10,500,000 in Carlton Woods Creekside. The price of any one home depends on its lot, its course frontage, its age, and its finish.

Comparing Carlton Woods Addresses?

The choice between these two sections usually comes down to specific homes: which course the lot faces, which county and school district the address falls in, and what the tax and association costs add up to. The Kink Team, led by Diane Kink (TREC license 464634-B, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist) at Keller Williams The Woodlands and ranked #1 in The Woodlands by RealTrends, can pull current closed sales and address-level tax data for both sections. Start with our Carlton Woods community page and the Creekside Park village guide. Then call (281) 364-4828, contact The Kink Team, or visit the office at 10055 Grogans Mill Rd, Ste 410, The Woodlands, TX 77380.

Sources: The Club at Carlton Woods, Golf (https://www.carltonwoods.com/golf), The Club at Carlton Woods, Membership (https://www.carltonwoods.com/membership), The Woodlands Development Company 2025 Taxes per $100 Valuation (https://www.thewoodlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025Tax.pdf), Movoto Carlton Woods (https://www.movoto.com/the-woodlands-tx/carlton-woods/), Movoto Carlton Woods Creekside (https://www.movoto.com/the-woodlands-tx/carlton-woods-creekside/), The Club at Carlton Woods, About (https://www.carltonwoods.com/about), Community Impact, Featured Neighborhood: Carlton Woods (https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/features/2017/02/10/featured-neighborhood-carlton-woods/), Community Impact, The Woodlands villages (https://communityimpact.com/features/2017/03/10/the-woodlands-villages), Wikipedia, The Woodlands, Texas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Woodlands,_Texas), Texas Ally (https://www.texasally.com/neighborhoods/harris/spring/hoas/carlton-woods-creekside-association-inc), Tomball ISD District Zone Reset (https://www.tomballisd.net/families/district-zone-reset). Figures as of September 2026.