Bay City, TX

Census place 4805984 · pop 17,730

D−36/ 100
🫤 Rough
F
in TX
📍 Texas ranks #38 of 50 states →
🏆 Rent$945/mo · top 2%
🚽 Uninsured25.2% · bottom 4%
Taxes
1.75% property · US 0.99%8.20% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Uninsured adults25.2%4

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

25.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poverty rate26.0%7

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

26.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.5%7

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity35.7%8

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

35.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Homeownership45.8%9

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

45.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult obesity41.0%14

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

41.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Property-tax burden1.75%16

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.75% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Median household income$53,84018

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$53,840 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Bachelor's degree or higher20.2%23

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

20.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult smoking16.2%24

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health18.6%28

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Income inequality0.4629

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Broadband access88.8%30

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

88.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Population growth (5yr)+0.2%31

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+0.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Natural disaster riskCounty-level90/10048

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time21 min72

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$160,80083

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$160,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$945/mo98

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$945/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Not measured for Bay City: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Bay City, TX a good place to live?
By the numbers, Bay City scores 36/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is uninsured adults. Texas overall ranks #38 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Bay City, TX expensive to live in?
Bay City has a median home value of $160,800 and typical rent around $945/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Bay City, TX?
Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (25.2%) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Bay City, TX best at?
Its strongest measured area is rent ($945/mo) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.