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Living in
Dickinson.
About
Life in Dickinson
Life here revolves around being a suburban Houston commute away—about 29 minutes on average—which makes Dickinson appealing if you want lower housing costs without abandoning metro job access. The median home value sits around $278,000, and median household income is $91,779, so you're looking at fairly reasonable affordability compared to Houston proper. The unemployment rate is solid at 4.4%, and with the Houston metro economy behind you, job hunting won't be your biggest hurdle.
Dickinson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.0%
Foreign-Born
11.9%
Broadband Internet
87.9%
of households
Population Growth
+2.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Dickinson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dickinson, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (63.9%), and 24.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.1%
of households
Married Couples
51.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.80
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 12% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Dickinson
In Dickinson, rent runs 12% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,159
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $266,845 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Dickinson
Unemployment in Galveston County, which includes Dickinson, is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Dickinson: Galveston County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Galveston County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Dickinson Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.7 min avg
How Dickinson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dickinson, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 40 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M 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 57% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Dickinson runs 57% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
140.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
861.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Dickinson Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Galveston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Galveston County, which includes Dickinson, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Rip Current | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $145,000 |
| 2023 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $301,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Drought | $41,500 |
| 2021 | 15 | Rip Current | $13.3M |
| 2020 | 11 | Funnel Cloud | $16,510 |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Flash Flood | $1.1M |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Galveston County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Galveston County, which includes Dickinson, is typically good — 218 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
218
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Galveston County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dickinson has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/62°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/63°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
76
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
9
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
111
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 46°F | 4.80" |
| Feb | 67°F | 50°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 73°F | 56°F | 3.30" |
| Apr | 78°F | 61°F | 4.22" |
| May | 85°F | 69°F | 5.12" |
| Jun | 90°F | 75°F | 6.54" |
| Jul | 92°F | 76°F | 4.36" |
| Aug | 92°F | 76°F | 6.64" |
| Sep | 88°F | 72°F | 7.34" |
| Oct | 82°F | 63°F | 5.79" |
| Nov | 73°F | 53°F | 4.54" |
| Dec | 66°F | 47°F | 4.53" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dickinson
Uninsured
16.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Dickinson's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Memorial Hermann Houston Physicians Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · Webster
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · Nassau Bay
HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Webster
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.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dickinson
Dickinson's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 25.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Dickinson (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 22,969 students · in-state tuition $2,490 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,048 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
9.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,078 students · in-state tuition $7,770 · 64% graduate · median earnings $61,521 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,368 students · in-state tuition $2,310 · 34% graduate · median earnings $45,131 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,342 students · in-state tuition $1,906 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,073 (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: Big Thicket National Preserve, 80 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dickinson
Dickinson has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (80 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dickinson
Dickinson Public Library
4411 Hwy 3, Dickinson
Cities Near Dickinson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dickinson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dickinson FAQ
Is Dickinson, Texas affordable?⌄
Dickinson's median rent is $1,231/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $91,779/year. Median home value is $278,000.
Is Dickinson, Texas safe?⌄
Dickinson's violent crime rate was 141 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 861 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Dickinson, Texas?⌄
Galveston County, which includes Dickinson, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dickinson, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Dickinson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,231/month and median household income is $91,779/year. The median home value is $278,000. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dickinson, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Dickinson is 29 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