What it's like to live in Rockport
Rockport is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Rockport deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Rockport compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Rockport
Based on Rockport's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,424
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $48,480 a year
- 51% of Rockport renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,050
- Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 14% below US
$1,212/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,212 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $320,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $320,500 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Aransas County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Aransas County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 33% below US
221 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 1777/100k · Rockport Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 17% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 27% 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 48°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 13% above US
41% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Padre Island National Seashore (70 miles away).
Bottom line
Rockport's strongest points are rent below 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. A year of median rent ($1,212/mo) equals 20% 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 remote workers (27% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Rockport
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