What it's like to live in DeSoto
DeSoto is a smaller city in Texas with 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. DeSoto deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How DeSoto compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to DeSoto
Based on DeSoto's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,332
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $66,640 a year
- 66% of DeSoto renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$63,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,940
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 18% above US
$1,666/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,666 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 $319,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $319,400 · 66% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 14% below US
283 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1581/100k · DeSoto Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 18% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.8 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; 17% 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
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 16% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 30% 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
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, 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 Waco Mammoth National Monument (71 miles away).
Bottom line
Nothing in DeSoto's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,666/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near DeSoto
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