Is Bay City, TX a Good Place to Live?
Bay City is a small city of 17,869 in Texas, with a median household income of $50,212 and a 11.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Bay City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bay City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bay City 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: 92.9Bay City's overall cost of living index is 92.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bay City costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Bay City, TX | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $132,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $993 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $50,212 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageBay City's violent crime rate is 580.3 per 100,000 residents — 53% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bay City is served primarily by BAY CITY ISD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bay City, TX | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | BAY CITY ISD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 79.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bay City sees average highs of 63.2°F in January and 90.6°F in July, with 49.1 inches of annual precipitation and 0.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Bay City, TX |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 63.2°F |
| Average High — July | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Bay City, TX | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,869 | — |
| Median Age | 31.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 13.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Bay City
Bay City, TX is covered by 1 ZIP code: