What it's like to live in South Houston
South Houston is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. South Houston deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
How South Houston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to South Houston
Based on South Houston'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
- 59% of South Houston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$37,860
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,930
- Homes cost 3.5× 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 here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $189,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $189,300 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Harris County is 4.5%, 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.
Harris County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 58% above US
520 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 2026/100k · South Houston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
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. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 71% below US
10% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 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 Big Thicket National Preserve (75 miles away).
Bottom line
South Houston'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 ($1,212/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near South Houston
All Texas guides →Moving to Pasadena →
5 mi away · pop. 149,433
Rent $1,213/mo · Income $64,927
Compare with South Houston →Moving to Galena Park →
6 mi away · pop. 10,487
Rent $1,184/mo · Income $51,220
Compare with South Houston →Moving to Deer Park →
7 mi away · pop. 33,967
Rent $1,318/mo · Income $100,382
Compare with South Houston →Moving to Cloverleaf →
9 mi away · pop. 24,063
Rent $1,155/mo · Income $54,994
Compare with South Houston →Not sure South Houston is the one?
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