Idalou is a small town of 2,211 in Texas, with a median household income of $62,200
and a 2.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Idalou stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Idalou is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Idalou 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: 90.9
Idalou's overall cost of living index is 90.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Idalou costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Idalou, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$158,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$764
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
66.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$62,200
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Idalou's violent crime rate is 144.3 per 100,000 residents
— 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
144.3 /100k
Property Crime
962.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Idalou is served primarily by IDALOU ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.8:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Idalou, TX
National Avg
School District
IDALOU ISD
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
17.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Idalou sees average highs of 55.0°F in January
and 93.4°F in July,
with 18.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 7.0 inches of snow per year.
Idalou's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Idalou roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $158,700 and median rent is $764/month.
Idalou's violent crime rate is 144.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 962.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Idalou are operated by IDALOU ISD.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.8:1. 17.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Idalou, TX has a population of 2,211, a median household income of $62,200, and an unemployment rate of 2.5%.
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.
Idalou averages 55.0°F in January and 93.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 18.3 inches
with about 7.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Idalou, TX is covered by 1 ZIP code: 79329.
The population of Idalou, Texas is 2,211 with a median age of 35.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Idalou: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $158,700, median household income $62,200, crime index 41 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Idalou side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
