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Living in
Corpus Christi.
About
Life in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is a sprawling coastal city where you're paying genuinely affordable housing costs—median home values around $210,400 and rent hovering near $1,292—but you need to understand the trade-offs that come with that affordability. The economy here runs on a mix of the Port of Corpus Christi (one of America's largest by tonnage), Naval Air Station Corpus Christi as the single largest employer with 6,200 civilian jobs, healthcare, and oil and petrochemical industries, which means job stability tends to be decent with a 4.2% unemployment rate, though the job market itself isn't particularly diverse if those sectors don't align with your career. The Latino community makes up about 61% of the population, and that cultural identity shapes everything from the food scene to local events like Buc Days (a 120,000-person spring festival that's genuinely a big deal for residents) and the monthly First Friday Artwalk downtown, so you're living in a place with real community traditions, not just tourist attractions.
Corpus Christi at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.1%
Foreign-Born
8.8%
Broadband Internet
89.6%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Corpus Christi: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Corpus Christi, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (54.2%), and 29.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
15.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.1%
of households
Married Couples
44.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Corpus Christi
In Corpus Christi, rent runs 8% below the TX average, and home values are 26% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,387
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $222,115 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Corpus Christi
Unemployment in Corpus Christi is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Corpus Christi Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.3 min avg
How Corpus Christi residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Corpus Christi, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP)
Regional airport · few flights373k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 143% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Corpus Christi runs 143% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
798.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,786.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Corpus Christi Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nueces County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, the most common type is heat, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Drought | $6.0M |
| 2024 | 32 | Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 46 | Heat | $135,000 |
| 2022 | 25 | Cold/Wind Chill | $161,000 |
| 2021 | 27 | Flash Flood | $7.5M |
| 2020 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $53.2M |
| 2019 | 8 | Drought | $135,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Flood | $450,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
16 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Nueces County, county-wide
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
148
per year
Moderate Days
209
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nueces County, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Corpus Christi has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/68°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/80°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/70°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
70°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
96
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
73
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 52°F | 1.79" |
| Feb | 71°F | 56°F | 1.65" |
| Mar | 76°F | 62°F | 2.37" |
| Apr | 82°F | 68°F | 2.48" |
| May | 87°F | 75°F | 3.59" |
| Jun | 91°F | 79°F | 3.55" |
| Jul | 92°F | 80°F | 2.64" |
| Aug | 94°F | 80°F | 2.04" |
| Sep | 91°F | 77°F | 6.21" |
| Oct | 85°F | 71°F | 4.72" |
| Nov | 77°F | 61°F | 2.67" |
| Dec | 70°F | 54°F | 1.50" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 3.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi has 4 hospitals, averaging 3.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
17.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.5 / 5
The Corpus Christi Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Corpus Christi Medical Center,the · 3315 S Alameda St
- Hospital campus: Corpus Christi Medical Center - Northwest Regional · 13725 Northwest Boulevard, Corpus Christi
Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi · 600 Elizabeth Street
- Hospital campus: CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - Memorial · 2606 Hospital Blvd, Corpus Christi
Driscoll Childrens Hospital
Childrens · ER available
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Corpus Christi
Psychiatric
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 24.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
91
within city limits
Private Schools
18
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Corpus Christi
Public · 2-year · 9,501 students · in-state tuition $3,440 · 24% graduate · median earnings $42,857 (10 yrs after entry)
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
Public · 4-year · 8,034 students · in-state tuition $9,748 · 45% graduate · median earnings $55,480 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Padre Island National Seashore, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Padre Island National Seashore (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Padre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
47 mi awayPublic Libraries in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi Public Libraries
805 Comanche St, Corpus Christi
Anita & Wt Neyland Public Library
1230 Carmel Pkwy, Corpus Christi
Ben F Mcdonald Public Library
4044 Greenwood Dr, Corpus Christi
Dr Clotilde P Garcia Public Library
5930 Brockhampton Dr, Corpus Christi
Honorable Noah O Kennedy Jr Law Library
901 Leopard St Room 601, Corpus Christi
Janet F Harte Public Library
2629 Waldron Rd, Corpus Christi
Owen R Hopkins Public Library
3202 Mckinzie Rd, Corpus Christi
Cities Near Corpus Christi
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Corpus Christi?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Corpus Christi FAQ
Is Corpus Christi, Texas affordable?⌄
Corpus Christi's median rent is $1,292/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $67,394/year. Median home value is $210,400.
Is Corpus Christi, Texas safe?⌄
Corpus Christi's violent crime rate was 799 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2786 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Corpus Christi, Texas?⌄
Corpus Christi has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Corpus Christi, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Corpus Christi is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,292/month and median household income is $67,394/year. The median home value is $210,400. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Corpus Christi, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Corpus Christi is 21 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from