What it's like to live in Bastrop
Bastrop is a small city in Texas with county unemployment below the national average, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bastrop deals with crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bastrop compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bastrop
Based on Bastrop's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,886
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,720 a year
- 43% of Bastrop renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$67,920
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,960
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,443/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,443 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $339,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $339,600 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bastrop County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bastrop County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 41% above US
464 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2857/100k · Bastrop Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 15% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 95°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail (2 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bastrop's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,443/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bastrop
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