Abilene

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Abilene, TX

Area Guide

An affordable lakefront lifestyle in West Texas

Affordable Lakes Boating Parks Museums Family-Friendly

Welcome to Abilene, a West Texas city where frontier heritage meets contemporary living. Home to Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University, the city offers a lively college-town atmosphere. The downtown cultural district showcases the historic Paramount Theatre and The Grace Museum, while Frontier Texas! brings local history to life through interactive exhibits. One-bedroom apartments currently rent for $914 monthly, reflecting a 6.5% annual increase, while two-bedroom units average $1,109, up 6.3% from the previous year.

The city features 26 public parks throughout its neighborhoods, and the SODA (South of Downtown Abilene) district offers local shopping and dining options. Dyess Air Force Base, employing over 8,800 personnel, serves as the city's largest employer. Notable areas include the expanding residential developments along Buffalo Gap Road and the tree-lined Sayles Boulevard area with its historic architecture. Originally established in 1881 as a cattle shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway, Abilene was named after its Kansas counterpart and grew rapidly, with its first land auction selling 139 lots for $23,810.

Explore the City

The Abilene Farmers Market is a popular event in the city.

The Dyess Air Force Base is just a couple miles away from Downtown Abilene.

The Quail Hollow neighborhood in Abilene offer's military style homes.

Rent Trends

As of December 2025, the average apartment rent in Abilene, TX is $802 for a studio, $996 for one bedroom, $1,259 for two bedrooms, and $1,478 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Abilene has increased by 10.8% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$996/month
656 Sq Ft
House
$2,889/month
1,454 Sq Ft
Townhome
$2,387/month
1,380 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Abilene, TX

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Abilene, TX is 11.1% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Abilene is 33.7% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $802 - $1,478. You can expect to pay 4.6% less for groceries, 13.4% more for utilities, and 5.2% less for transportation.

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Transportation

38

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

37

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Wylie East Elementary School

Public

Grades K-3

789 Students

Wylie J High School

Public

Grades 5-8

972 Students

Wylie Intermediate School

Public

Grades 3-4

459 Students

Wylie East Junior High School

Public

Grades 5-8

524 Students

Austin Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

724 Students

Wylie J High School

Public

Grades 5-8

972 Students

Wylie East Junior High School

Public

Grades 5-8

524 Students

Craig Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

783 Students

Mann STEAM Academy

Public

Grades 6-8

879 Students

Madison Middle

Public

Grades 6-8

785 Students

Academy For Technology Engineering

Public

Grades 9-12

372 Students

Wylie High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,467 Students

Abilene High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,966 Students

Cooper High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,716 Students

Holland Medical High School

Public

Grades 9-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Abilene ISD Planetarium
  • Abilene Zoo

Military Bases

Airports

  • Abilene Regional

Top Apartments in Abilene

Houses for Rent in Abilene

Property Management Companies in Abilene, TX

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.