Neighborhood in San Marcos, Hays County

Living in North San Marcos, San Marcos

D-

13th of 15areas in San Marcos
Overall score 13 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
San Marcos overall: D-

North San Marcos covers part of San Marcos, TX, home to about 2,700 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 13th of 15 areas we score in San Marcos. It does best on education levels and worst on jobs and income.

  • Jobs and income scores low (5 of 100)
  • Internet access scores low (7 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store1.4 mi
Pharmacy1.0 mi
Park0.7 mi
Cafe0.9 mi
Restaurant0.9 mi
Gym0.9 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.4 mi
Childcare0.6 mi
Library1.1 mi

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

Population
2,720
Median rent
$1,130
Median home value
$482,000
Household income
$36,800
Average commute
33 min
Homes owned
11%
Loading map

What it's like to live in North San Marcos

North San Marcos is an area in San Marcos with about 2,700 residents, homes built around 1985, mostly rented (89% of homes) and 5% of households with children.

It grades D- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 13th of 15 areas in San Marcos, which grades D- overall.

Pros of living in North San Marcos

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $1,130, 15% lower than the San Marcos median.

Cons of living in North San Marcos

  • Higher poverty. 41% of residents live below the poverty line, against 27% across San Marcos.
  • Longer commutes. The average commute is 33 minutes, against 24 for San Marcos as a whole.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes, heat waves and hail as very high in this part of town.

North San Marcos report card

Each grade compares North San Marcos 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 $1,130, homes cost 13.1x income.

    23 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade F

    Median household income $36,800, 7.9% unemployed.

    5 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C

    Nearby schools average 80 of 100 on the state rating.

    47 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 422 violent crimes per 100k, 1,940 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C-

    Some everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    34 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C

    Average commute 33 min, 9.6% work from home.

    43 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade A

    56% have a bachelor’s degree.

    93 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D+

    16% of adults uninsured.

    28 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D

    11% of homes owner-occupied.

    23 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade F

    73% of homes have broadband.

    7 of 100 vs TX areas

North San Marcos compared with San Marcos

Better than San Marcos

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 56%18 points higher than San Marcos (38%)
  • Median rent: $1,13015% lower than San Marcos ($1,322)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 16%4 points lower than San Marcos (20%)

Worse than San Marcos

  • Home value to income: 13.1x116% higher than San Marcos (6.1x)
  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 11%20 points lower than San Marcos (31%)
  • Average commute: 33 min38% higher than San Marcos (24 min)

Closest public schools

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

  • BCrockett ElementaryElementary, San Marcos CISD1.4 mi
  • CGoodnight MiddleMiddle, San Marcos CISD3.2 mi
  • CSan Marcos High SchoolHigh, San Marcos CISD5.6 mi

Cost of living in North San Marcos

Median rent in North San Marcos is $1,130 a month, 15% lower than the San Marcos median. A household would need about $45,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $482,000, 55% higher than the San Marcos median, which means a monthly payment of about $3,201 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereSan MarcosTexas
Median rent15% lower than San Marcos$1,130$1,322$1,403
Median home value55% higher than San Marcos$482,000$310,400$283,800
Home value to income116% higher than San Marcos13.1x6.1x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent4 points lower than San Marcos62%67%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them20 points lower than San Marcos11%31%63%
Vacant homes3 points lower than San Marcos4.5%7.7%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as San Marcos198520011992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$3,201
Mortgage payment
$2,638
Property tax
$563
Median rent, for comparison
$1,130

Based on a $482,000 home in North San Marcos, 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

MeasureHereSan MarcosTexas
Median household income28% lower than San Marcos$36,800$51,281$78,476
Unemployment rate3 points higher than San Marcos7.9%5.2%5.3%
People below the poverty line14 points higher than San Marcos41%27%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher18 points higher than San Marcos56%38%34%
Average commute38% higher than San Marcos33 min24 min27 min
Workers who work from home2 points lower than San Marcos9.6%11%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transitAbout the same as San Marcos6.8%6.6%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet12 points lower than San Marcos73%85%91%

Natural hazard risk

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

  • River floodingLow
  • HurricanesModerate
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesVery high
  • WildfiresVery high
  • Winter stormsVery high
  • Strong windHigh

Who lives in North San Marcos

Under 188.5%
18 to 3461%
35 to 6427%
65 and over4.3%
Race and ethnicity
White55%
Hispanic or Latino32%
Black1.2%
Asian5.4%
Other or more than one race6.2%

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

Other neighborhoods in San Marcos

  1. 1CCentral San MarcosMedian rent $1,340
  2. 2CCastle ForestMedian rent $1,700
  3. 3CBlanco GardensMedian rent $1,160
  4. 4C-La VistaMedian rent $1,180
  5. 5C-Rio VistaMedian rent $1,220
  6. 6C-East GuadalupeMedian rent $1,200
  7. 7C-Millview WestMedian rent $1,180
  8. 8D+Millview EastMedian rent $1,080

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. DThe Barracks TownhomesCollege Station
  2. D+Fox Run CondominiumsCollege Station
  3. D+TEEX Emergency Response Training ComplexCollege Station

Questions about North San Marcos

Is North San Marcos a good place to live?

North San Marcos covers part of San Marcos, TX, home to about 2,700 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 13th of 15 areas we score in San Marcos. It does best on education levels and worst on jobs and income.

How much does it cost to live in North San Marcos?

Median rent in North San Marcos is $1,130 a month, 15% lower than the San Marcos median. The median home is worth $482,000, 55% higher than the San Marcos median. A median home costs 13.1x the median household income, compared with 6.1x across San Marcos.

What schools serve North San Marcos?

The closest rated public schools are Crockett Elementary (elementary, rated B), Goodnight Middle (middle, rated C) and San Marcos 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 San Marcos 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.