Median Age
33 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 18% of Residents
Under 20
27%
Over 65
15%
Abilene, TX
Area Guide
Avg Rent
$1,084
Population
126,436
Renter Mix
45% Rent
An affordable lakefront lifestyle in West Texas
Affordable
•
Lakes
•
Boating
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.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$53,993
Average: $68,738
Education
27,418
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
58,882
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Abilene has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
45%
Non-Renters
55%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
17%
Other Education
83%
Rent Trends
As of June 2026, the average apartment rent in Abilene, TX is $848 for a studio, $1,099 for one bedroom, $1,375 for two bedrooms, and $1,574 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Abilene has increased by 13.5% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,099/month
656 Sq Ft
House
$2,988/month
1,421 Sq Ft
Townhome
$2,447/month
1,390 Sq Ft
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Abilene, TX is 11.8% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Abilene is 35.6% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $848 - $1,574. You can expect to pay 4.7% less for groceries, 12.7% more for utilities, and 5.2% less for transportation.
Compare Cities
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Abilene, TX is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
100
/ 100
Fairly Bikeable
Bikeability
40
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades K-8
972 Students
Public
Grades K-5
789 Students
Public
Grades K-5
459 Students
Public
Grades K-8
972 Students
Public
Grades K-8
524 Students
Public
Grades K-8
972 Students
Public
Grades K-8
972 Students
Public
Grades K-8
524 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
783 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
783 Students
Academy For Technology Engineering
Public
Grades 9-12
372 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,467 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,966 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,716 Students
Public
Grades K-12
727 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
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
Search Nearby Rentals
Nearby City Rentals
Nearby Neighborhood 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 June 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.