Median Income
$64,449
household / year
Median Home Value
$180,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,178
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Corpus Christi, TX a Good Place to Live?

Corpus Christi is a large city of 317,804 in Texas, with a median household income of $64,449 and a 5.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Corpus Christi 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 Corpus Christi is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Corpus Christi 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: 95.8

Corpus Christi's overall cost of living index is 95.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Corpus Christi costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Corpus Christi, TX National Avg
Median Home Value $180,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,178 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $64,449 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Corpus Christi's violent crime rate is 863.6 per 100,000 residents — 127% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
863.6 /100k
Property Crime
3011.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Corpus Christi is served primarily by CORPUS CHRISTI ISD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1 .

Metric Corpus Christi, TX National Avg
School District CORPUS CHRISTI ISD —
Elementary Schools 32 —
Middle Schools 10 —
High Schools 10 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Corpus Christi sees average highs of 63.3°F in January and 88.7°F in July, with 34.1 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricCorpus Christi, TX
Average High — January63.3°F
Average High — July88.7°F
Annual Precipitation34.1"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricCorpus Christi, TXNational Avg
Population317,804—
Median Age35.738.9
Unemployment Rate5.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)63.3%59.3%
Black or African American4.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino28.4%18.9%
Asian2.4%6.3%
Under 1824.0%22.2%
65 and over14.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ingleside on the Bay, TX 6 mi Port Aransas, TX 7 mi Ingleside, TX 8 mi Aransas Pass, TX 12 mi Falman, TX 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX is covered by 19 ZIP codes:

78418 78410 78414 78415 78409 78373 78417 78412 78406 78413 78411 78405 78408 78416 78404 78401 78407 78402 78419

Corpus Christi vs Other Cities

Corpus Christi, TX vs Ingleside on the Bay, TX Corpus Christi, TX vs Port Aransas, TX Corpus Christi, TX vs Ingleside, TX Corpus Christi, TX vs Aransas Pass, TX Corpus Christi, TX vs Falman, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Corpus Christi's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Corpus Christi roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $180,900 and median rent is $1,178/month.
Corpus Christi's violent crime rate is 863.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3011.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Corpus Christi are operated by CORPUS CHRISTI ISD. The district has 32 elementary, 10 middle, and 10 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1. 23.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Corpus Christi, TX has a population of 317,804, a median household income of $64,449, and an unemployment rate of 5.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Corpus Christi averages 63.3°F in January and 88.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.1 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Corpus Christi, TX is covered by 19 ZIP codes: 78418, 78410, 78414, 78415, 78409, 78373, 78417, 78412, 78406, 78413, 78411, 78405, 78408, 78416, 78404, 78401, 78407, 78402, 78419.
The population of Corpus Christi, Texas is 317,804 with a median age of 35.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Corpus Christi: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $180,900, median household income $64,449, crime index 194 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Corpus Christi side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.