What it's like to live in Friendswood
Friendswood 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 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. Friendswood deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Friendswood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Friendswood
Based on Friendswood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,376
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,520 a year
- 54% of Friendswood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$84,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $42,010
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 19% above US
$1,688/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,688 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $420,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $420,100 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 75% below US
82 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 517/100k · Friendswood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 48°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 46% above US
53% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Big Thicket National Preserve (82 miles away).
Bottom line
Friendswood's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,688/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Friendswood
All Texas guides →Moving to League City →
6 mi away · pop. 116,215
Rent $1,684/mo · Income $121,099
Compare with Friendswood →Moving to Pearland →
8 mi away · pop. 127,514
Rent $1,860/mo · Income $118,842
Compare with Friendswood →Moving to Dickinson →
9 mi away · pop. 21,753
Rent $1,231/mo · Income $91,779
Compare with Friendswood →Not sure Friendswood is the one?
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