What it's like to live in Converse
Converse is a small city in Texas with home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above 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. Converse deals with rent well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Converse compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Converse
Based on Converse's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,386
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,720 a year
- 63% of Converse renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,840
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,693/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,693 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $248,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $248,400 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 43% above US
470 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 1338/100k · Converse Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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 1 private school. 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 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (15 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Converse's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,693/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
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