Best Places to Live

San Antonio, Texas

| Overall Score 6.8 / 10
| Overall Score 6.8 / 10
La Paloma Mexican restaurant on the Riverwalk
The Granary 'Cue & Brew in the Pearl Brewery
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
La Cantera Hill Country Resort
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What's it like to live in San Antonio, TX?

Erin Sheehy

Profile written by local expert:

Erin Sheehy

San Antonio is as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. It offers big-city amenities and world-renowned attractions coupled with a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Most famously known as the home of the Alamo, the spirit of the region expands beyond its tourist labels, offering a community rich in Spanish and Old West heritage.

The pace of life in San Antonio can be as active or as quiet as one chooses. Living in a destination city has its benefits. Families appreciate having year-round access to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio. Foodies enjoy every genre of cuisine from food trucks in Southtown to the beloved Tex-Mex and barbecue fare. Theater, music and art aficionados can attend productions at the Majestic Theater and the Tobin Center or exhibitions at the McNay Art Museum. Sports fans cheer on their NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs. 

San Antonio offers more than 50 major events and festivals throughout the year, including the Ford Holiday River Parade and Lighting Ceremony, the Texas Folklife Festival and the famous Fiesta, a spirited 10-day salute to the Spanish heritage with numerous events citywide.

See all the best places to live in Texas.

Rankings

U.S. News analyzed 125 metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people's desire to live there.

San Antonio, Texas is ranked:

#34 in Best Places to Live

#39 in Best Places to Retire

#4 in Best Places to Live in Texas

#19 in Fastest Growing Places

6.8

Overall

Scorecard

Best Places to Live

  • Desirability
    6.8
  • Value
    6.8
  • Job Market
    6.7
  • Quality of Life
    6.5
  • Net Migration
    7.9

Read how we rank places

San Antonio, TX Quick Stats

  • 2,377,507

    Metro Population

  • $46,200

    Average Annual Salary

  • 80.2° / 58.6°

    Avg High/Low Temps

  • 34.4

    Median Age

  • $211,800

    Median Home Price

  • 32.3 inches

    AVG Annual Rainfall

  • 3.3%

    Unemployment Rate

  • $949

    Median Monthly Rent

  • 26.0 minutes

    Avg Commute Time

What is there to do in San Antonio, TX?

San Antonio's history as the site of five Spanish Catholic missions is palpable throughout the region, with sites like the Alamo and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas' first UNESCO World Heritage Site) harkening to times gone by.

But that doesn't mean the region is stuck in the past. Two of the most recent areas of significant revitalization include the Quarry Market and the Pearl Brewery. Originally the Alamo Cement Factory, the Quarry Market offers boutique shopping and trendy residences surrounding the original smokestacks. The Pearl Brewery is now home to The Culinary Institute of America and an impressive weekend farmers market.

With such amenable weather year-round, residents often take day trips to local Hill Country destinations, passing the time at weekend fairs in Wimberley, winery tours in Fredericksburg and tubing on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels. 

Find out more about what there is to see and do in San Antonio, TX

What's the cost of living in San Antonio, TX?

San Antonio features a cost of living that's slightly lower than the national average, with the median home sale price below the national median as well.

Value Index

Index Score: 6.8 /10

How we calculate this.

San Antonio offer a better value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income.

Housing Costs 2018-12

San Antonio
$211,800

USA
$226,500

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Housing Costs Over Time

Data sourced from Zillow median home sale price data series. Additional data provided by the Austin Board of Realtors, Houston Association of Realtors, Intermountain MLS, Omaha Area Board of Realtors, San Antonio Board of Realtors, and the Salt Lake Board of Realtors.

Buying or selling a home? Find top real estate agents in San Antonio, TX.

What's the weather like in San Antonio, TX?

San Antonio's sees approximately 300 days of sunshine per year. During the winter, below-freezing temperatures and snow are very uncommon.

Seasonal Temperature (Avgs)

53.4°F


Winter

69.5°F


Spring

84.1°F


Summer

70.7°F


Fall

Seasonal Rainfall (Avgs)

1.9 in


Winter

4.0 in


Spring

4.1 in


Summer

4.1 in


Fall

Monthly High and Low Temperatures (°F)

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center.

What's the best way to get around San Antonio, TX?

Most residents rely on their own vehicles to get around. Traveling by car is relatively easy with a developed infrastructure including three main highways and a major inner and outer loop. For such a large region, the traffic tends to move freely throughout the day.  

The main public transportation service is VIA Metropolitan Transit, which offers numerous stops throughout the region and outlying areas. However, the system doesn't provide enough coverage to make it convenient to all residents.

The San Antonio International Airport is only 8 miles from downtown. The Amtrak Texas Eagle, Greyhound and Megabus offer ground transportation to neighboring regions and interstate destinations.

Commuting in San Antonio, TX

Means of Transportation
Driving
90%
Above national average
Bicycling
0%
Equal to national average
Walking
2%
Equal to national average
Public Transit
2%
Below national average
Average Commute Time

26.0 minutes

0.4 minutes less than national average

Average Commute Times by Zip Code

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Who lives in San Antonio, TX?

The reasons people move to San Antonio, raise families and stay for life are attributed to the warm climate, reasonable cost of living and a community that values neighborliness. The metro area also has a reputation for being family-friendly. 

San Antonio's richest source of culture and community is derived from the Mexican-American population: Hispanic culture is showcased in the region's cuisine, music and entertainment. The metro area embraces bilingualism, with Spanish as the city's most widley spoken non-English language.

Even though the Spanish missionaries are long gone, the predominant religion in San Antonio continues to be Catholic. The oldest church, the San Fernando Cathedral, was founded in 1731 and is the longest standing, continuously operated church in Texas.

Age Distribution

Marital Status Breakdown

About the same number of single people in San Antonio as national average

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

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