What it's like to live in Groves
Groves is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Groves deals with county unemployment above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, college degree attainment below the national average, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 62" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Groves compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Groves
Based on Groves's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,572
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,440 a year
- 37% of Groves renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$32,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,360
- Homes cost 2.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,286/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,286 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $163,600. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $163,600 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jefferson County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jefferson County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 18% above US
388 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 1307/100k · Groves Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. Nearly all workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 46°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 59% below US
15% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 Big Thicket National Preserve (45 miles away).
Bottom line
Groves's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,286/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Groves
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