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Living in
Little Elm.
About
Life in Little Elm
If you're considering Little Elm, understand that you're moving to a young, family-oriented suburb in the middle of rapid growth—the population has nearly doubled since 2010 and is projected to reach 90,000. The median household income of $119,219 is solid, and employment is healthy with a 4.0% unemployment rate, though most residents commute to jobs elsewhere in the metroplex (average 35 minutes). Housing costs are moderate for the DFW area at a median home value around $420,700, but the city is overwhelmingly single-family residential sprawl, which means car dependency is real.
Little Elm at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Foreign-Born
19.5%
Broadband Internet
98.3%
of households
Population Growth
+36.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.5% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Little Elm: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Little Elm, the largest foreign-born group is from India (25.8%), and 15.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.0%
of residents
65 and Older
7.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
50.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.3%
of households
Married Couples
58.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.90
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 39% above TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Little Elm
In Little Elm, rent runs 39% above the TX average, and home values are 48% above the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,420
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2011
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $390,812 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Little Elm and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Little Elm 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 Little Elm Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area
Commute34.6 min avg
How Little Elm residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Little Elm, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 43% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Major hub41.3M 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 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Little Elm runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
139.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
339.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Little Elm Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 36 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Denton County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Denton County, which includes Little Elm, the most common type is hail, with 36 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2024 | 37 | Hail | $23.3M |
| 2023 | 38 | Hail | $46.3M |
| 2022 | 29 | Drought | $543,000 |
| 2021 | 19 | Hail | $168.2M |
| 2020 | 25 | Heat | $1.3M |
| 2019 | 32 | Hail | $889,500 |
| 2018 | 17 | Drought | $492,500 |
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.
10 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Denton County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Denton County, which includes Little Elm, is typically good — 211 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
211
per year
Moderate Days
135
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Denton County, county-wide
Climate94°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Little Elm has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.9"
Annual Snowfall
2.6"
Hot Days/Year
95
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
38
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
84
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 34°F | 2.20" |
| Feb | 60°F | 37°F | 2.83" |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 3.36" |
| Apr | 76°F | 53°F | 3.67" |
| May | 83°F | 63°F | 4.86" |
| Jun | 91°F | 71°F | 3.58" |
| Jul | 96°F | 75°F | 2.29" |
| Aug | 96°F | 74°F | 2.44" |
| Sep | 89°F | 67°F | 2.96" |
| Oct | 78°F | 55°F | 4.64" |
| Nov | 66°F | 44°F | 2.94" |
| Dec | 57°F | 36°F | 2.67" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Little Elm
Little Elm has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.6%
of residents
Baylor Scott & White Emergency Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Texas Health Hospital Frisco
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.3 mi away · Frisco
Medical City Mental Health and Wellness Center
Psychiatric · 5.9 mi away · Frisco
Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco at Pg
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · Frisco
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.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Little Elm
Little Elm's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 44.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Little Elm (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 34,341 students · in-state tuition $11,309 · 66% graduate · median earnings $59,434 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 8,767 students · in-state tuition $9,000 · 58% graduate · median earnings $59,216 (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: Chickasaw National Recreation Area, 88 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Little Elm
Little Elm has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Chickasaw National Recreation Area (88 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
88 mi awayPublic Libraries in Little Elm
Little Elm Public Library
100 W Eldorado Pkwy, Little Elm
Cities Near Little Elm
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Little Elm?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Little Elm FAQ
Is Little Elm, Texas affordable?⌄
Little Elm's median rent is $1,953/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $119,219/year. Median home value is $420,700.
Is Little Elm, Texas safe?⌄
Little Elm's violent crime rate was 139 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 340 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Little Elm, Texas?⌄
Little Elm has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Little Elm, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Little Elm is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,953/month and median household income is $119,219/year. The median home value is $420,700. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Little Elm, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Little Elm is 35 minutes, which is longer than 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