Anderson County Courthouse at dusk · TourismPTX / CC BY-SA 4.0O. W. Gray & Son Palestine, Texas ca. 1885 UTA · O. W. Gray & Son / Public domainAnderson courthouse tx 2010 · Larry D. Moore / CC BY 4.0Palestine, TX, City Hall IMG 2312 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0
Palestine is a small city of 18,741 in Texas, with a median household income of $43,759
and a 4.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Palestine stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Palestine is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Palestine 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: 92.5
Palestine's overall cost of living index is 92.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Palestine costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Palestine, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$125,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$981
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
52.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$43,759
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Palestine's violent crime rate is 417.3 per 100,000 residents
— 10% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
417.3 /100k
Property Crime
1445.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Palestine is served primarily by PALESTINE ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Palestine, TX
National Avg
School District
PALESTINE ISD
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
15.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Palestine sees average highs of 58.9°F in January
and 93.9°F in July,
with 46.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
Palestine's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Palestine roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $125,600 and median rent is $981/month.
Palestine's violent crime rate is 417.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1445.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Palestine are operated by PALESTINE ISD.
The district has 2 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Palestine, TX has a population of 18,741, a median household income of $43,759, and an unemployment rate of 4.0%.
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.
Palestine averages 58.9°F in January and 93.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.8 inches
with about 0.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Palestine, TX is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 75801, 75803.
The population of Palestine, Texas is 18,741 with a median age of 33.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Palestine: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $125,600, median household income $43,759, crime index 93 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palestine side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
