What it's like to live in Fair Oaks Ranch
Fair Oaks Ranch is a small city in Texas with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fair Oaks Ranch deals with home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and hot summers.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- Air quality concerns
- Hot summers
How Fair Oaks Ranch compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fair Oaks Ranch
Based on Fair Oaks Ranch's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$131,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $65,760
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
4.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bexar County is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bexar County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 95% below US
16 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 523/100k · Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 48% above US
38 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 38.4 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. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 34% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 88% above US
68% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (33 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fair Oaks Ranch's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and long average commutes. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (34% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Fair Oaks Ranch
All Texas guides →Moving to Scenic Oaks →
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Rent $1,835/mo · Income $174,962
Compare with Fair Oaks Ranch →Moving to Boerne →
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Compare with Fair Oaks Ranch →Moving to Timberwood Park →
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Rent $1,998/mo · Income $157,100
Compare with Fair Oaks Ranch →Moving to Leon Valley →
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Rent $1,187/mo · Income $59,481
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