What it's like to live in Red Oak
Red Oak is a small city in Texas with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Red Oak deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Red Oak compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Red Oak
Based on Red Oak's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$73,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,610
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Ellis County is 3.8%, 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.
Ellis County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 53% below US
153 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 1309/100k · Red Oak Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.1 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; 15% 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 36°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
37% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 37% 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
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Waco Mammoth National Monument (67 miles away).
Bottom line
Red Oak's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and hot summers. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Red Oak
All Texas guides →Not sure Red Oak is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.