Neighborhood in Helotes, Bexar County

Living in Bavarian Forest, Helotes

A-

1st of 3areas in Helotes
Overall score 84 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Helotes overall: A

Bavarian Forest is a neighborhood in Helotes, TX, home to about 3,400 people. It gets an A-, in the top 20% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 3 areas we score in Helotes. It does best on education levels and worst on cost of living.

  • Lots of parks
  • Tornado risk is very high
  • Hail risk is very high

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.6 mi
Pharmacy0.5 mi
Park0.1 mi
Cafe0.4 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.3 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.4 mi
Childcare0.3 mi
Library1.1 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
3,360
Median rent
$1,530
Median home value
$360,000
Household income
$107,400
Average commute
26 min
Homes owned
66%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Bavarian Forest

Bavarian Forest is a neighborhood in Helotes with about 3,400 residents, mostly newer homes (median year built 2006), mostly owner-occupied (66%) and 31% of households with children.

It grades A- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 1st of 3 areas in Helotes, which grades A overall.

Pros of living in Bavarian Forest

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $1,530, 39% lower than the Helotes median.
  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.6 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.
  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about 0.1 miles away.

Cons of living in Bavarian Forest

  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes and hail as very high in this part of town.

Bavarian Forest report card

Each grade compares Bavarian Forest with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade C-

    Median rent $1,530, homes cost 3.4x income.

    39 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade B

    Median household income $107,400, 2.9% unemployed.

    66 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade B-

    Nearby schools average 83 of 100 on the state rating.

    60 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 29 violent crimes per 100k, 665 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade B+

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    79 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C+

    Average commute 26 min, 14% work from home.

    54 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade A-

    54% have a bachelor’s degree.

    82 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade B-

    12% of adults uninsured.

    63 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade C+

    66% of homes owner-occupied.

    55 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade B+

    98% of homes have broadband.

    73 of 100 vs TX areas

Bavarian Forest compared with Helotes

Better than Helotes

  • Median rent: $1,53039% lower than Helotes ($2,500)
  • Homes with broadband internet: 98%2 points higher than Helotes (95%)
  • Unemployment rate: 2.9%2 points lower than Helotes (5.0%)

Worse than Helotes

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 66%31 points lower than Helotes (97%)
  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 63%15 points higher than Helotes (48%)
  • Median household income: $107,40019% lower than Helotes ($132,675)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • BKuentz ElementaryElementary, Northside ISD0.8 mi
  • BStinson MiddleMiddle, Northside ISD1.1 mi
  • BO'connor High SchoolHigh, Northside ISD1.1 mi

Cost of living in Bavarian Forest

Median rent in Bavarian Forest is $1,530 a month, 39% lower than the Helotes median. A household would need about $61,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $360,000, 10% lower than the Helotes median, which means a monthly payment of about $2,511 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereHelotesTexas
Median rent39% lower than Helotes$1,530$2,500$1,403
Median home value10% lower than Helotes$360,000$399,000$283,800
Home value to income12% higher than Helotes3.4x3.0x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent15 points higher than Helotes63%48%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them31 points lower than Helotes66%97%63%
Vacant homes2 points lower than Helotes3.5%5.0%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Helotes200620061992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$2,511
Mortgage payment
$1,971
Property tax
$540
Median rent, for comparison
$1,530

Based on a $360,000 home in Bavarian Forest, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereHelotesTexas
Median household income19% lower than Helotes$107,400$132,675$78,476
Unemployment rate2 points lower than Helotes2.9%5.0%5.3%
People below the poverty line5 points higher than Helotes8.0%3.1%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higherAbout the same as Helotes54%53%34%
Average commuteAbout the same as Helotes26 min26 min27 min
Workers who work from home7 points lower than Helotes14%21%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transitAbout the same as Helotes2.1%2.9%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet2 points higher than Helotes98%95%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingHigh
  • HurricanesModerate
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windVery low

Who lives in Bavarian Forest

Under 1820%
18 to 3428%
35 to 6441%
65 and over10%
Race and ethnicity
White32%
Hispanic or Latino59%
Black3.1%
Asian4.2%
Other or more than one race2.3%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Helotes

  1. 2A-Central Helotes
  2. 3B+North Helotes

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. AAshfordHouston
  2. A-La FronteraMansfield
  3. B+Palomino ParkAustin

Questions about Bavarian Forest

Is Bavarian Forest a good place to live?

Bavarian Forest is a neighborhood in Helotes, TX, home to about 3,400 people. It gets an A-, in the top 20% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 1st of 3 areas we score in Helotes. It does best on education levels and worst on cost of living.

How much does it cost to live in Bavarian Forest?

Median rent in Bavarian Forest is $1,530 a month, 39% lower than the Helotes median. The median home is worth $360,000, 10% lower than the Helotes median. A median home costs 3.4x the median household income, compared with 3.0x across Helotes.

What schools serve Bavarian Forest?

The closest rated public schools are Kuentz Elementary (elementary, rated B), Stinson Middle (middle, rated B) and O'connor High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area is built from 1 Census block group closest to the Bavarian Forest name on the map, so its edges are approximate. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.