What it's like to live in Stephenville
Stephenville is a small city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Stephenville deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and very hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Very hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Stephenville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Stephenville
Based on Stephenville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,268
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,360 a year
- 56% of Stephenville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,130
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,134/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,134 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $241,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $241,300 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Erath County is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Erath County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 70% below US
98 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 767/100k · Stephenville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 38% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 96°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% 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
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 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 (74 miles away).
Bottom line
Stephenville'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 a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,134/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Stephenville
All Texas guides →Moving to Granbury →
31 mi away · pop. 12,136
Rent $1,386/mo · Income $73,516
Compare with Stephenville →Moving to Mineral Wells →
42 mi away · pop. 15,244
Rent $1,077/mo · Income $55,929
Compare with Stephenville →Moving to Weatherford →
46 mi away · pop. 35,788
Rent $1,527/mo · Income $81,516
Compare with Stephenville →Moving to Cleburne →
48 mi away · pop. 34,344
Rent $1,322/mo · Income $70,656
Compare with Stephenville →Not sure Stephenville is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.