What it's like to live in Garland
Garland is a large city in Texas with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Garland 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
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
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 Garland compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Garland
Based on Garland's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,282
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $65,640 a year
- 56% of Garland renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$54,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,080
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 16% above US
$1,641/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,641 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 $270,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $270,800 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
3.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 42% below US
191 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1672/100k · Garland Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 14% above US
30 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.7 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; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 29% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
70 public schools inside the boundary
There are 70 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below 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 (96 miles away).
Bottom line
Garland's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,641/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Garland
All Texas guides →Not sure Garland is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.