What it's like to live in Temple
Temple is a smaller city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Temple deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Strong hospital ratings
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Temple compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Temple
Based on Temple's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,462
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,240 a year
- 47% of Temple renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,900
- 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▼ 13% below US
$1,231/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,231 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $239,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $239,000 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 13% below US
316 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 2385/100k · Temple Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▼ 19% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 15% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% 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
25 public schools inside the boundary
There are 25 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 (37 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Temple'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 air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,231/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Temple
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