What it's like to live in Universal City
Universal City is a small city in Texas with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, 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. Universal City deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, hot summers, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Universal City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Universal City
Based on Universal City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,630
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,600 a year
- 36% of Universal City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$53,920
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,960
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,315/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,315 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $269,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $269,600 · 36% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bexar County is 4.0%, 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.
Bexar County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 49% below US
167 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 2039/100k · Universal City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 43°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 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 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (18 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Universal City's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,315/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Universal City
All Texas guides →Moving to Live Oak →
2 mi away · pop. 15,984
Rent $1,634/mo · Income $79,696
Compare with Universal City →Moving to Selma →
2 mi away · pop. 11,503
Rent $1,774/mo · Income $97,066
Compare with Universal City →Moving to Converse →
3 mi away · pop. 29,607
Rent $1,693/mo · Income $94,222
Compare with Universal City →Moving to Schertz →
4 mi away · pop. 44,050
Rent $1,659/mo · Income $99,948
Compare with Universal City →Not sure Universal City is the one?
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