Neighborhood in Palestine, Anderson County

Living in Central Palestine, Palestine

D

3rd of 4areas in Palestine
Overall score 17 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Palestine overall: F

Central Palestine covers part of Palestine, TX, home to about 9,300 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 3rd of 4 areas we score in Palestine. It does best on getting around and worst on jobs and income.

  • Short commutes
  • Jobs and income scores low (8 of 100)
  • Health scores low (10 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.6 mi
Pharmacy1.0 mi
Park0.6 mi
Cafe0.6 mi
Restaurant0.4 mi
Gym1.1 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.3 mi
Childcare1.1 mi
Library1.3 mi

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

Population
9,350
Median rent
$1,050
Median home value
$169,000
Household income
$46,300
Average commute
18 min
Homes owned
54%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Central Palestine

Central Palestine is an area in Palestine with about 9,400 residents, homes built around 1973, a mix of owners and renters and 31% of households with children.

Our grade for Central Palestine is D. That puts it 3rd of 4 areas we grade in Palestine, a city that gets an F overall.

Pros of living in Central Palestine

  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.6 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.

Cons of living in Central Palestine

  • Higher poverty. 26% of residents live below the poverty line, against 18% across Palestine.
  • Lower-rated schools nearby. Only 1 of the 3 closest public schools are rated A or B.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes and strong wind as very high in this part of town.

Central Palestine report card

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

  • Cost of living: grade B-

    Median rent $1,050, homes cost 3.6x income.

    58 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade F

    Median household income $46,300, 9.2% unemployed.

    8 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade D

    Nearby schools average 74 of 100 on the state rating.

    22 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 464 violent crimes per 100k, 1,592 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.

    41 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade B+

    Average commute 18 min, 5.6% work from home.

    78 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D+

    21% have a bachelor’s degree.

    30 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D-

    19% of adults uninsured.

    10 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D-

    54% of homes owner-occupied.

    15 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade C-

    90% of homes have broadband.

    37 of 100 vs TX areas

Central Palestine compared with Palestine

Better than Palestine

  • Average commute: 18 min12% lower than Palestine (21 min)
  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 53%5 points lower than Palestine (58%)
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 21%4 points higher than Palestine (17%)

Worse than Palestine

  • People below the poverty line: 26%9 points higher than Palestine (18%)
  • Workers who walk, bike or take transit: 0.5%3 points lower than Palestine (3.2%)
  • Unemployment rate: 9.2%2 points higher than Palestine (7.0%)

Closest public schools

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

  • CSouthside ElementaryElementary, Palestine ISD0.7 mi
  • DPalestine Junior HighMiddle, Palestine ISD0.7 mi
  • BPalestine High SchoolHigh, Palestine ISD0.6 mi

Cost of living in Central Palestine

Median rent in Central Palestine is $1,050 a month, about the same as the Palestine median. A household would need about $42,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $169,000, about the same as the Palestine median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,090 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHerePalestineTexas
Median rentAbout the same as Palestine$1,050$1,062$1,403
Median home valueAbout the same as Palestine$169,000$166,000$283,800
Home value to incomeAbout the same as Palestine3.6x3.7x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent5 points lower than Palestine53%58%52%
Homes owned by the people living in themAbout the same as Palestine54%55%63%
Vacant homes2 points higher than Palestine15%13%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Palestine197319761992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,090
Mortgage payment
$925
Property tax
$165
Median rent, for comparison
$1,050

Based on a $169,000 home in Central Palestine, 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

MeasureHerePalestineTexas
Median household incomeAbout the same as Palestine$46,300$44,981$78,476
Unemployment rate2 points higher than Palestine9.2%7.0%5.3%
People below the poverty line9 points higher than Palestine26%18%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher4 points higher than Palestine21%17%34%
Average commute12% lower than Palestine18 min21 min27 min
Workers who work from homeAbout the same as Palestine5.6%5.4%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit3 points lower than Palestine0.5%3.2%2.6%
Homes with broadband internetAbout the same as Palestine90%89%91%

Natural hazard risk

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

  • River floodingLow
  • HurricanesHigh
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailModerate
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresHigh
  • Winter stormsHigh
  • Strong windVery high

Who lives in Central Palestine

Under 1826%
18 to 3423%
35 to 6435%
65 and over16%
Race and ethnicity
White48%
Hispanic or Latino16%
Black31%
Asian0%
Other or more than one race4.8%

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

Other neighborhoods in Palestine

  1. 1CNortheast PalestineMedian rent $1,440
  2. 2D+North PalestineMedian rent $780
  3. 4FSouthwest PalestineMedian rent $1,420

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. FNorth BeaumontBeaumont
  2. DEast San AntonioSan Antonio
  3. D+Central TempleTemple

Questions about Central Palestine

Is Central Palestine a good place to live?

Central Palestine covers part of Palestine, TX, home to about 9,300 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 3rd of 4 areas we score in Palestine. It does best on getting around and worst on jobs and income.

How much does it cost to live in Central Palestine?

Renters in Central Palestine pay a median of $1,050 a month, about the same as the Palestine median. The median home is worth $169,000, about the same as the Palestine median. A median home costs 3.6x the median household income, compared with 3.7x across Palestine.

What schools serve Central Palestine?

The closest rated public schools are Southside Elementary (elementary, rated C), Palestine Junior High (middle, rated D) and Palestine High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 10 Census block groups in this part of Palestine 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.