City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Balcones Heights, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Balcones Heights - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,724
Residents
$28,082
Median income
$214,300
Median home
$1,426
Median rent (state)

Balcones Heights - the verdict

Nationally, Balcones Heights sits in the 2nd percentile for household income and the 0th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

2nd
percentile, household income
47th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
0th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Balcones Heights, TX

Texas's Balcones Heights is a small town, with 2,724 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $28,082 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 39.5%. Balcones Heights's housing stock carries a median value of $214,300, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. Educational attainment runs 12.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Balcones Heights's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 14825.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Texas at 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,426 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). The average commute for Balcones Heights workers runs 23.1 minutes, with 58.1% driving alone and 6.4% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

2,724 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$28,082 /yr

Poverty 39.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Balcones Heights compare to other US cities?

Here's how Balcones Heights stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 2% higher than other cities
Home value 47% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 0% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Texas and the picture shifts: Balcones Heights ranks #624 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Balcones Heights's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

2ndIncome percentile
0thSafety percentile

2nd percentile nationally for median household income · 0th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Balcones Heights's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Balcones Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 17 Avg. percentile National median
Balcones Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Balcones Heights's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$214,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 53% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Balcones Heights $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Balcones Heights, TX Balcones Heights, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Balcones Heights, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Balcones Heights, TX median $28,082/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Balcones Heights, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Balcones Heights, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 39.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,724
Median Income
$28,082
Median Home Value
$214,300
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
39.5%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
14825.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1722.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
13103.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,710 residents2,720 residents2,730 residents2,740 residents2,750 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,745 residents 2,728 residents ▼ -0.6%
Balcones Heights's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
58.1%
Carpool
16.1%
Public Transit
7.4%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
6.4%
Other
8.4%

Based on 1,438 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Balcones Heights sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,426/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Talty
2,727 people
Edcouch
2,729 people
Refugio
2,729 people
Haslet
2,710 people
Citrus
2,740 people
Hallettsville
2,744 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Balcones Heights's 2,724 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Island Walk, FL
2,724 people
Concordia, NJ
2,724 people
Jay, OK
2,724 people
Slippery Rock University, PA
2,724 people
Arcadia, SC
2,724 people
Bloomfield, IA
2,723 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Balcones Heights's $28,082 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wheatland, MO
$28,068 median income
Durant, MS
$28,050 median income
Machias, ME
$28,047 median income
Meigs, GA
$28,125 median income
Deal Island, MD
$28,125 median income
Hartville, MO
$28,125 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Balcones Heights, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Balcones Heights, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 40.6% 15.2% 12.4% 27.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 68.0% White 40.6% Black or African American 15.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 4.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 12.4% Two or more races 27.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Balcones Heights compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Balcones Heights (this city) 2,724 $28,082
Talty 2,727 $136,917
Edcouch 2,729 $33,258
Refugio 2,729 $56,193
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Balcones Heights, TX?

What is the population of Balcones Heights, TX? +

Balcones Heights, TX counts 2,724 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Balcones Heights, TX? +

Balcones Heights households earn a median of $28,082 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Balcones Heights? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Balcones Heights; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Balcones Heights, TX safe? +

Balcones Heights has a total crime rate of 14825.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Balcones Heights, TX? +

Balcones Heights's median home value sits at $214,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.