Abilene-skyline · Atownbman / CC BY-SA 4.0Abilene June 2019 15 (Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau - Texas & Pacific Railroad Station) · Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0Abilene June 2019 87 (Abilene High School) · Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0AbileneChristian · Keithimus of English Wikipedia / Public domain
Abilene is a mid-sized city of 126,356 in Texas, with a median household income of $59,254
and a 2.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Abilene stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Abilene is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Abilene city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.8
Abilene's overall cost of living index is 89.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Abilene costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Abilene, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$161,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,060
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
54.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$59,254
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Abilene's violent crime rate is 424.5 per 100,000 residents
— 12% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
424.5 /100k
Property Crime
1763.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Abilene is served primarily by ABILENE ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.8:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Abilene, TX
National Avg
School District
ABILENE ISD
—
Elementary Schools
13
—
Middle Schools
4
—
High Schools
7
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
26.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
87.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Abilene sees average highs of 58.8°F in January
and 96.4°F in July,
with 24.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 3.7 inches of snow per year.
Abilene's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Abilene roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $161,800 and median rent is $1,060/month.
Abilene's violent crime rate is 424.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1763.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Abilene are operated by ABILENE ISD.
The district has 13 elementary, 4 middle, and 7 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.8:1. 26.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Abilene, TX has a population of 126,356, a median household income of $59,254, and an unemployment rate of 2.8%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Abilene averages 58.8°F in January and 96.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 24.4 inches
with about 3.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Abilene, TX is covered by 7 ZIP codes: 79601, 79602, 79606, 79603, 79605, 79607, 79699.
The population of Abilene, Texas is 126,356 with a median age of 32.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Abilene: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $161,800, median household income $59,254, crime index 101 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Abilene side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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