What it's like to live in Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson is a small city in Texas with home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lake Jackson deals with hot summers, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lake Jackson compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lake Jackson
Based on Lake Jackson's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,956
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,120 a year
- 44% of Lake Jackson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,010
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,478/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,478 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $250,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $250,100 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 16% above US
5.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
309 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 1413/100k · Lake Jackson Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
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 47°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, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Bottom line
Lake Jackson's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are hot summers and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($1,478/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes.
Other places near Lake Jackson
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