Neighborhood in Lancaster, Dallas County

Living in Southwest Lancaster, Lancaster

D-

4th of 7areas in Lancaster
Overall score 16 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Lancaster overall: F

Southwest Lancaster covers part of Lancaster, TX, home to about 1,700 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 4th of 7 areas we score in Lancaster. It does best on home ownership and worst on errands and things to do.

  • Pricey
  • Cost of living scores low (18 of 100)
  • Jobs and income scores low (13 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store1.4 mi
Pharmacy1.7 mi
Park1.0 mi
Cafe1.4 mi
Restaurant1.4 mi
Gym2.1 mi
Hospital or urgent care2.5 mi
Childcare2.2 mi
Library3.2 mi

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

Population
1,720
Median rent
$1,940
Median home value
$267,000
Household income
$82,800
Average commute
32 min
Homes owned
97%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Southwest Lancaster

Southwest Lancaster is an area in Lancaster with about 1,700 residents, homes built around 1984, mostly owner-occupied (97%) and 52% of households with children.

It grades D- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 4th of 7 areas in Lancaster, which grades F overall.

Pros of living in Southwest Lancaster

No clear standouts in our data.

Cons of living in Southwest Lancaster

  • Higher poverty. 50% of residents live below the poverty line, against 15% across Lancaster.
  • Higher unemployment. 13% of the labor force is out of work, against 7.2% across Lancaster.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of heat waves and hail as very high in this part of town.

Southwest Lancaster report card

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

  • Cost of living: grade D

    Median rent $1,940, homes cost 3.2x income.

    18 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D-

    Median household income $82,800, 13% unemployed.

    13 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, 345 violent crimes per 100k, 2,099 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade F

    Few everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    7 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C

    Average commute 32 min, 12% work from home.

    44 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D+

    23% have a bachelor’s degree.

    28 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D+

    16% of adults uninsured.

    30 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade A

    97% of homes owner-occupied.

    88 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade C+

    94% of homes have broadband.

    53 of 100 vs TX areas

Southwest Lancaster compared with Lancaster

Better than Lancaster

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 97%29 points higher than Lancaster (68%)
  • Median household income: $82,80021% higher than Lancaster ($68,302)
  • Workers who walk, bike or take transit: 6.0%5 points higher than Lancaster (0.6%)

Worse than Lancaster

  • People below the poverty line: 50%35 points higher than Lancaster (15%)
  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 100%31 points higher than Lancaster (69%)
  • Unemployment rate: 13%6 points higher than Lancaster (7.2%)

Closest public schools

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

  • BBelt Line ElementaryElementary, Lancaster ISD1.5 mi
  • BKatherine Johnson Technology Magnet AcademyMiddle, Desoto ISD2.3 mi
  • CLancaster High SchoolHigh, Lancaster ISD3.6 mi

Cost of living in Southwest Lancaster

Median rent in Southwest Lancaster is $1,940 a month, 14% higher than the Lancaster median. A household would need about $78,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $267,000, 8% higher than the Lancaster median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,899 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereLancasterTexas
Median rent14% higher than Lancaster$1,940$1,704$1,403
Median home value8% higher than Lancaster$267,000$246,300$283,800
Home value to income11% lower than Lancaster3.2x3.6x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent31 points higher than Lancaster100%69%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them29 points higher than Lancaster97%68%63%
Vacant homes1 points lower than Lancaster3.1%4.6%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Lancaster198419911992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,899
Mortgage payment
$1,461
Property tax
$437
Median rent, for comparison
$1,940

Based on a $267,000 home in Southwest Lancaster, 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

MeasureHereLancasterTexas
Median household income21% higher than Lancaster$82,800$68,302$78,476
Unemployment rate6 points higher than Lancaster13%7.2%5.3%
People below the poverty line35 points higher than Lancaster50%15%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher2 points lower than Lancaster23%25%34%
Average commute12% higher than Lancaster32 min29 min27 min
Workers who work from home3 points higher than Lancaster12%8.9%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit5 points higher than Lancaster6.0%0.6%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet3 points higher than Lancaster94%91%91%

Natural hazard risk

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

  • River floodingModerate
  • HurricanesLow
  • TornadoesHigh
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesVery high
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsModerate
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in Southwest Lancaster

Under 1843%
18 to 3418%
35 to 6428%
65 and over11%
Race and ethnicity
White26%
Hispanic or Latino63%
Black7.8%
Asian1.7%
Other or more than one race1.6%

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

Other neighborhoods in Lancaster

  1. 1D+Saddlebrook EstatesMedian rent $1,680
  2. 2DNorthwest LancasterMedian rent $1,340
  3. 3DBeltline AshmooreMedian rent $2,630
  4. 5D-Central LancasterMedian rent $1,660
  5. 6FMillbrook EastMedian rent $1,880
  6. 7FEast LancasterMedian rent $1,380

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. DGlen MeadowsLa Porte
  2. C-South KerrvilleKerrville
  3. DEast ManvelManvel

Questions about Southwest Lancaster

Is Southwest Lancaster a good place to live?

Southwest Lancaster covers part of Lancaster, TX, home to about 1,700 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 4th of 7 areas we score in Lancaster. It does best on home ownership and worst on errands and things to do.

How much does it cost to live in Southwest Lancaster?

Median rent in Southwest Lancaster is $1,940 a month, 14% higher than the Lancaster median. The median home is worth $267,000, 8% higher than the Lancaster median. A median home costs 3.2x the median household income, compared with 3.6x across Lancaster.

What schools serve Southwest Lancaster?

The closest rated public schools are Belt Line Elementary (elementary, rated B), Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy (middle, rated B) and Lancaster High School (high, rated C). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 1 Census block group in this part of Lancaster that have no neighborhood name on the map. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.