What it's like to live in Taylor
Taylor 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 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. Taylor deals with commute times longer than most cities, college degree attainment below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Taylor compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Taylor
Based on Taylor's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,148
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,960 a year
- 51% of Taylor renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,580
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,074/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,074 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $285,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $285,800 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Williamson County is 3.5%, 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.
Williamson County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 17% below US
274 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1490/100k · Taylor Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.4 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. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 95°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 43% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail (33 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Taylor's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,074/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Taylor
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