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Living in
Santa Fe.
About
Life in Santa Fe
Santa Fe is a community of 12,828 people in Texas. The median household income is $99,190, median rent runs about $1,240 per month, and median home values are around $325,800. The unemployment rate is 4.4%.
Santa Fe at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.4%
Foreign-Born
5.3%
Broadband Internet
93.7%
of households
Population Growth
+9.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.3% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Santa Fe: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Santa Fe, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (35.8%), and 10.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.2%
of residents
65 and Older
17.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.5%
of households
Married Couples
61.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.75
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 Santa Fe
In Santa Fe, rent runs 12% below the TX average, and home values are 15% above the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,576
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
81.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $334,267 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Santa Fe
Unemployment in Galveston County, which includes Santa Fe, is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Santa Fe: Galveston County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Galveston County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Santa Fe is about 4% of Galveston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Santa Fe Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.5 min avg
How Santa Fe residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Santa Fe, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 48% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 44 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 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Santa Fe runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
128.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
589.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe, 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
Santa Fe is about 4% of Galveston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Galveston County, which includes Santa Fe, 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
Santa Fe is about 4% of Galveston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Santa Fe 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
56.6"
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 Santa Fe
Uninsured
18.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Santa Fe's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Memorial Hermann Houston Physicians Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.2 mi away · Webster
HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 mi away · Webster
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.2 mi away · Nassau Bay
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.
Education16.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Santa Fe
Santa Fe's student/teacher ratio is 16.1:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 15.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Santa Fe (within 15 miles)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
13.4 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, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Santa Fe
Santa Fe has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Santa Fe
Mae S Bruce Library
13302 W 6th St, Santa Fe
Cities Near Santa Fe
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Santa Fe?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Santa Fe FAQ
Is Santa Fe, Texas affordable?⌄
Santa Fe's median rent is $1,240/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $99,190/year. Median home value is $325,800.
Is Santa Fe, Texas safe?⌄
Santa Fe's violent crime rate was 129 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 590 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Santa Fe, Texas?⌄
Galveston County, which includes Santa Fe, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Santa Fe, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Santa Fe is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,240/month and median household income is $99,190/year. The median home value is $325,800. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Santa Fe, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Santa Fe is 28 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