What it's like to live in Palestine
Palestine 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 a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Palestine deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Palestine compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Palestine
Based on Palestine's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,124
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,480 a year
- 49% of Palestine renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$33,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,600
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,062/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,062 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $166,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $166,000 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Anderson County is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Anderson County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 41% above US
464 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1592/100k · Palestine 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; 5% 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 37°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 1.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 54% below US
17% 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
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 (90 miles away).
Bottom line
Palestine's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,062/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Palestine
All Texas guides →Moving to Jacksonville →
27 mi away · pop. 14,325
Rent $908/mo · Income $51,375
Compare with Palestine →Moving to Corsicana →
53 mi away · pop. 25,511
Rent $1,093/mo · Income $57,212
Compare with Palestine →Not sure Palestine is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.