What it's like to live in Kerrville
Kerrville is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kerrville deals with household incomes below the national average, hot summers, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Kerrville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kerrville
Based on Kerrville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,172
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,440 a year
- 46% of Kerrville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$60,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $30,340
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,086/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,086 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $303,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $303,400 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 40% below US
197 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 687/100k · Kerrville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.6 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 36°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 3 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 Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park (35 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kerrville's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,086/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Kerrville
All Texas guides →Moving to Fredericksburg →
22 mi away · pop. 11,419
Rent $1,386/mo · Income $64,534
Compare with Kerrville →Moving to Scenic Oaks →
38 mi away · pop. 10,569
Rent $1,835/mo · Income $174,962
Compare with Kerrville →Not sure Kerrville is the one?
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