Neighborhood in Odessa, Ector County

Living in Fair Oaks Gardens, Odessa

D

54th of 66areas in Odessa
Overall score 19 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Odessa overall: D+

Fair Oaks Gardens is a neighborhood in Odessa, TX, home to about 1,000 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 54th of 66 areas we score in Odessa. It does best on home ownership and worst on getting around.

  • Pricey
  • Lots of parks
  • Cost of living scores low (13 of 100)
  • Getting around scores low (8 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.9 mi
Pharmacy0.6 mi
Park0.5 mi
Cafe1.0 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.4 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.7 mi
Childcare0.5 mi
Library0.8 mi

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

Population
970
Median rent
$1,360
Median home value
$355,000
Household income
$65,000
Average commute
32 min
Homes owned
75%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Fair Oaks Gardens

Fair Oaks Gardens is a neighborhood in Odessa with about 1,000 residents, homes built around 1966, mostly owner-occupied (75%) and 32% of households with children.

It grades D against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 54th of 66 areas in Odessa, which grades D+ overall.

Pros of living in Fair Oaks Gardens

No clear standouts in our data.

Cons of living in Fair Oaks Gardens

  • Higher unemployment. 14% of the labor force is out of work, against 5.9% across Odessa.
  • Longer commutes. The average commute is 32 minutes, against 22 for Odessa as a whole.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of hail and winter storms as very high in this part of town.

Fair Oaks Gardens report card

Each grade compares Fair Oaks Gardens 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 $1,360, homes cost 5.5x income.

    13 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D+

    Median household income $65,000, 14% unemployed.

    28 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C-

    Nearby schools average 77 of 100 on the state rating.

    33 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 286 violent crimes per 100k, 1,159 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C+

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    53 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade F

    Average commute 32 min, 26% work from home.

    8 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade C+

    21% have a bachelor’s degree.

    50 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade C

    16% of adults uninsured.

    44 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade B+

    75% of homes owner-occupied.

    79 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade B+

    98% of homes have broadband.

    73 of 100 vs TX areas

Fair Oaks Gardens compared with Odessa

Better than Odessa

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 75%15 points higher than Odessa (60%)
  • People below the poverty line: 5.8%10 points lower than Odessa (16%)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 16%10 points lower than Odessa (25%)

Worse than Odessa

  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 100%44 points higher than Odessa (56%)
  • Home value to income: 5.5x80% higher than Odessa (3.0x)
  • Average commute: 32 min44% higher than Odessa (22 min)

Closest public schools

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

  • BBlanton ElementaryElementary, Ector County ISD0.6 mi
  • CNimitz MiddleMiddle, Ector County ISD0.5 mi
  • CPermian High SchoolHigh, Ector County ISD1.3 mi

Cost of living in Fair Oaks Gardens

Median rent in Fair Oaks Gardens is $1,360 a month, about the same as the Odessa median. A household would need about $54,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $355,000, 59% higher than the Odessa median, which means a monthly payment of about $2,261 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereOdessaTexas
Median rent3% higher than Odessa$1,360$1,315$1,403
Median home value59% higher than Odessa$355,000$223,100$283,800
Home value to income80% higher than Odessa5.5x3.0x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent44 points higher than Odessa100%56%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them15 points higher than Odessa75%60%63%
Vacant homes6 points lower than Odessa0%6.4%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Odessa196619801992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$2,261
Mortgage payment
$1,943
Property tax
$318
Median rent, for comparison
$1,360

Based on a $355,000 home in Fair Oaks Gardens, 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

MeasureHereOdessaTexas
Median household income12% lower than Odessa$65,000$73,472$78,476
Unemployment rate8 points higher than Odessa14%5.9%5.3%
People below the poverty line10 points lower than Odessa5.8%16%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher2 points higher than Odessa21%19%34%
Average commute44% higher than Odessa32 min22 min27 min
Workers who work from home23 points higher than Odessa26%3.4%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit1 points lower than Odessa0%1.1%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet9 points higher than Odessa98%89%91%

Natural hazard risk

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

  • River floodingLow
  • HurricanesLow
  • TornadoesHigh
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesModerate
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsVery high
  • Strong windHigh

Who lives in Fair Oaks Gardens

Under 1827%
18 to 3412%
35 to 6439%
65 and over22%
Race and ethnicity
White54%
Hispanic or Latino31%
Black0%
Asian0%
Other or more than one race15%

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

Other neighborhoods in Odessa

  1. 1ACountry Club EstatesMedian rent $1,260
  2. 2AEast Pointe
  3. 3A-Idlewild
  4. 4A-Emerald Forest GardensMedian rent $1,260
  5. 5A-Parker Place
  6. 6A-Fellowship AdditionMedian rent $1,410
  7. 7B+Clyde A Pool 2 Acre TractsMedian rent $1,070
  8. 8B+CyncoMedian rent $1,640

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. D-Central Mission BendMission Bend
  2. DBeltline AshmooreLancaster
  3. C-Park PlaceSan Antonio

Questions about Fair Oaks Gardens

Is Fair Oaks Gardens a good place to live?

Fair Oaks Gardens is a neighborhood in Odessa, TX, home to about 1,000 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 54th of 66 areas we score in Odessa. It does best on home ownership and worst on getting around.

How much does it cost to live in Fair Oaks Gardens?

Median rent in Fair Oaks Gardens is $1,360 a month, 3% higher than the Odessa median. The median home is worth $355,000, 59% higher than the Odessa median. A median home costs 5.5x the median household income, compared with 3.0x across Odessa.

What schools serve Fair Oaks Gardens?

The closest rated public schools are Blanton Elementary (elementary, rated B), Nimitz Middle (middle, rated C) and Permian High School (high, rated C). 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 Fair Oaks Gardens 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.