Inner Loop Question

Hello everyone. I am currently considering relocating to Houston. I have been doing a lot of research on the city. I keep seeing people talk about living “inside the loop”, is living inside the “loop” considered desirable? It appears to be from the research I have been doing.

How expensive is it to live inside of the loop and what neighborhoods are considered to be in the “loop”? It’s a bit hard to determined from the bit of research I have already done. The reason why I am concerned about this is I wish to live in a fairly nice part of town if I decide to relocate to Houston. I am planning on visiting the city soon to see how I like it.

I visited San Antonio a couple of months ago, I generally like Texas from what I saw in San Antonio but I don’t think that city is a good fit for me so I am now considering Houston.

A few facts about me is – Single 36m yearly income – 144,000. Looking for somewhere nice but also somewhere that won’t break the bank.

EDIT – I work from home so location isn’t that sensitive for me. But I would prefer to be close to social activities so I can easily make new connections(potential friends) in the city.