8 Cheapest and Safest Places to Live in Texas – Best Small Towns & Big Cities
We found the cheapest and safest places to live in Texas in 2023, including affordable big cities as well as the cheapest small towns to live in Texas.
It was quite difficult to narrow our list down to the top eight places considering how vast and diverse Texas is as the 2nd largest state in the US.
But, we looked through all the data and were able to determine the towns and cities that provided the best blend of affordability and safety throughout the whole state.
We broke our study down into two main categories:
- Cheapest and Safest Cities to Live in Texas
- Cheapest and Safest Small Towns to Live in Texas
We prioritized places that offer a low cost of living, affordable homes, excellent livability, and low crime rates.
So, let’s dive right into the list and discover the cheapest and safest places in Texas to live in where you can relocate to help you save some cash and also keep you safe.
Cheapest and Safest Places to Live in Texas – Methodology
To develop this list of the cheapest and safest places to live in Texas, we want to give you some insights into our research process so that you can be confident about the quality of our findings and trust our results.
First, we created a database of over 1,200 towns and cities all across Texas. Then, we filtered the list to only include places that had a cost of living and crime rates lower than the Texas state averages using official data from the government and the FBI via AreaVibes.
We also took into consideration the livability and quality of life in each place to ensure that they are actually desirable towns and cities to live in.
Finally, we split our list into two categories to give you the best opportunity to find a place that suits your preferences. We made one list of the cheapest and safest places to live in Texas for larger cities with a population of over 10,000 people and another list exclusively for the cheapest small towns to live in Texas with a population under 10,000 residents.
Cheapest and Safest Places to Live in Texas (Over 10,000 Residents) – Our Top 4 Cities
4. Rio Grande City, Texas
Population: 14,511
Cost of Living: 19.6% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 15.5% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Rio Grande City starts off our list of the cheapest and safest places to live in Texas for bigger cities.
It is a quiet and family-friendly city located right on the Mexican border deep in South Texas. The community also offers several historical features and parks to visit.
The average home values in Rio Grande City are also an affordable $110,000 to $120,000, while its cost of living is about 20% below the Texas average, making it an affordable place to relocate to.
Plus, this border city’s crime rates are 3% lower than the national average, making it safer than 46% of the cities in the US.
3. Roma, Texas
Population: 11,490
Cost of Living: 20.7% Below Texas Average
Crime Rates: 57.2% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Roma, Texas is another border city deep in South Texas that is a quiet and simple area and features the Roma Historic District as well as numerous restaurants across the city.
The 570-acre Falcon State Park is also just 15 minutes from downtown Roma, where you can hike or fish in the Falcon International Reservoir on the Rio Grande.
The cost of living here is cheap, with average home values that are around $90,000 to $100,000, according to Zillow.
Meanwhile, the city is quite safe, with crime rates that are 51% lower than the national average. Thus, if you are searching for a safe area with very cheap home prices, you should consider Roma.
2. Pharr, Texas
Population: 79,112
Cost of Living: 18.5% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 24.9% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Pharr is a bustling city near McAllen close to the border with Mexico. This city also has the biggest population on this list of the cheapest and safest places in Texas to live in, which makes it a top choice for those looking for a larger community.
Residents here love Pharr due to its low cost of living compared to the bigger cities that surround it. The home prices in Pharr average around $140,000 to $150,000, which is about $40,000 cheaper than the values in neighboring McAllen.
It is also significantly safer than many other parts of Texas, with a crime rate that is 25% lower than the state average.
1. Hidalgo, Texas
Population: 14,183
Cost of Living: 17.4% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 54.8% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
The quiet community of Hidalgo tops our list as the cheapest and safest place to live in Texas.
It is another border city in the south part of Texas and is literally right across from Mexico.
The average home values in Hidalgo are around $150,000 to $160,000, which is still lower than the Texas state average. This city is also the safest on the list, with crime rates that are 55% lower than the rest of the state.
Meanwhile, the city offers several attractions, like the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center, which is now a museum and nature preserve, as well as the 7,000 seat Payne Arena that features concerts, sports, and other live events.
Cheapest Small Towns to Live in Texas (Under 10,000 Residents) – Our Top 4 Towns
4. De Leon, Texas
Population: 2,198
Cost of Living: 17.4% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 49.2% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
De Leon is the smallest town on this list of the cheapest small towns in Texas to live in, which makes it ideal for folks looking for an intimate town where they can get to know everyone.
It is located about 2 hours southwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which makes it convenient enough to get to the big cities, but far enough away to enjoy its small town charm in peace.
De Leon’s crime rate is 42% lower than the national average and offers its residents a mix of suburban and rural living with affordable homes that cost around $120,000 to $130,000.
De Leon provides its residents with great amenities and things to do, including some fantastic local restaurants to dine in such as Prado’s Cafe and Rollie’s On Texas.
3. Combes, Texas
Population: 2,984
Cost of Living: 21.7% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 43.1% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Combes is a small town in South Texas that is about 30 minutes away from Brownsville.
It features an affordable way of life, with a cost of living that is 22% lower than the rest of the state and average home values of $140,000 to $150,000.
Combes is relatively safe, too, with crime rates that are 35% lower than the national average.
Crime has even decreased 17% in the last year, making it one of the top cheap small towns in Texas to relocate to with your family.
Combes also has quite a bit to offer, including some fantastic restaurants and museums. Some top attractions in the area include the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum, Iwo Jima Memorial & Museum, and the Hugh Ramsey Nature Park in nearby Harlingen.
2. Los Fresnos, Texas
Population: 7,837
Cost of Living: 19.6% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 39.6% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Los Fresnos is a small town located in the heart of South Texas about 20 minutes north of Brownsville. It sits right on the edge of the stunning Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and calls itself “A Community with Opportunity.”
Its combination of amenities, low cost living, and safety makes it one of the top cheapest small towns to live in Texas.
The average home value in Los Fresnos is over $100,000 cheaper than the Texas state average, with homes costing just $160,000 to $170,000. The town is also quite safe, with crime rates that are 31% lower than the US average.
Don’t miss local favorites like Harley’s Beer Garden and the Little Graceland Museum, either.
1. Rio Hondo, Texas
Population: 2,707
Cost of Living: 27.2% Below Texas Average
Crime Rate: 67.5% Below Texas Average
Location: Check on Google Maps
Rio Hondo tops this portion of our list as the cheapest small town to live in Texas due
to its cost of living that is 27% below the Texas average and its excellent safety ratings.
This small town is situated about 35 minutes north of Brownsville by car in South Texas and is also nearby the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
Its homes are priced at a reasonable $160,000 to $170,000, while it is also the safest town on this list statistically, with crime rates that are 67.5% below the Texas average.
Rio Honda is mainly a residential town that is great for outdoor lovers as it sits right on the Arroyo Colorado and also features the Rio Hondo City Park right in the middle of town.
Cheapest and Safest Places to Live in Texas – Summary
We hope these lists of the cheapest and safest towns and cities in Texas to live in have given you some insight into which places across The Lone Star State can provide you with an affordable and safe community.
But, don’t just take our word for it. We recommend that you go out and visit some of these places to get a true sense of their vibes and see if they are the right community to settle into for you.
Be sure to check out more great cities in Texas that we’ve picked out to get some more inspiration for your next move.
