What it's like to live in Robinson

Robinson is a small city in Texas with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, 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. Robinson deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, hot summers, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

  • Higher-than-average incomes
  • Low crime rates
  • Short commutes
  • Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

  • Air quality concerns
  • Hot summers
  • Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
  • Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Robinson compares

Median household income

Robinson$99,289
Texas avg$78,476
US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Robinson$1,419
Texas avg$1,403
US$1,413

Median home value

Robinson$302,200
Texas avg$283,800
US$332,700

What it takes to move to Robinson

Based on Robinson's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,838

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

  • Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,760 a year
  • 45% of Robinson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$60,440

a 20% down payment on the median home

  • With 10% down: $30,220
  • Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,419/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,419 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 $302,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $302,200 · 45% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

4.0% county unemployment

Unemployment in McLennan County is 4.0%, 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.

McLennan County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 72% below US

92 violent crimes per 100k

Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.

Property crime 762/100k · Robinson Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 26% below US

19 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone
84%
Work from home
9.2%
Carpool
5.1%
Walk
1.1%
Other
0.9%

Climate

Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
20°40°60°80°100°4.5"Jan: 2.72" precipitationFeb: 2.69" precipitationMar: 3.51" precipitationApr: 3.16" precipitationMay: 4.39" precipitationJun: 3.61" precipitationJul: 1.85" precipitationAug: 2.44" precipitationSep: 3.15" precipitationOct: 4.30" precipitationNov: 2.93" precipitationDec: 2.76" precipitation36°JJan: high 59°F, low 36°FFFeb: high 62°F, low 40°FMMar: high 68°F, low 48°FAApr: high 76°F, low 54°FMMay: high 83°F, low 64°FJJun: high 91°F, low 72°FJJul: high 95°F, low 75°F95°AAug: high 95°F, low 75°FSSep: high 89°F, low 68°FOOct: high 80°F, low 57°FNNov: high 68°F, low 46°FDDec: high 60°F, low 39°F

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 39% below US

22% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

5 public schools inside the boundary

There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. 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 (11 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Robinson's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,419/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes.

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