What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In San Antonio?

Alamo City, River City, Mission City; no matter what you choose to call it, San Antonio possesses a unique spirit. Featuring incredible food, a rich history, and exciting entertainment opportunities, it’s no wonder over 1.5 million people call it home. But, even a city that seems to have it all can have downsides, but does the good outweigh the bad?

San Antonio is the proud home of the famous Alamo, the beautiful River Walk, and the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs. It also boasts a diverse culture, vibrant entertainment scene, mild winters, and a small-town feel despite being a big city. However, ongoing construction, brutal summers, and an overload of tourists can take a toll.

San Antonio is the second-largest city in Texas and one of the fastest-growing cities in the USA. Tons of new residents flock here each year; could you be one of them? Before you decide to hang your hat in Alamo City, it’s a good idea to know the pros and cons.

As we noted earlier, San Antonio is a tourist hotspot. Folks from all over the country head to the city in order to get a closer look at its many attractions. Because of that, many assume that San Antonio is a city with a high barrier of entry in terms of expenses. They assume that having a sizable bank account is a prerequisite for living there. That is not the case though.

Starting with housing, the median price for a new home in San Antonio is $175,000. That’s significantly lower than the median number for the United States which stands at $231,000.

You can save money on more than just your new home though. Other cost of living expenses such as essential goods, utilities, and transportation are also affordable in San Antonio. Even if you’re comparing San Antonio only to other Texas cities, it still remains a more affordable place to live in.

San Antonio was established in 1718, making it one of the oldest cities in Texas. With that long history comes lots of different people from many places. You’ll find several cultures present, including Mexican, German, and Southwestern influences.

This eclectic assortment of cultures shows through in the food, music, architecture, and more. It’s a big part of what makes San Antonio such a special place.

You can never have enough free weekends in San Antonio. There are just so many great places to visit there and you’ll want to make time to see all of them.

Let’s start with the River Walk. Take a seat in one of the barges found in the River Walk and tour the city that way. Even if you’re a long-time resident of San Antonio, seeing it that way remains a special experience.

Visitors to the River Walk can also enjoy a hearty meal while touring the city on the barge. Feast on San Antonio’s flavorful cuisine as you marvel at the many historical sites found throughout the city. The Arneson River Theater also treats River Walk visitors to excellent shows regularly.

Speaking of historical sites, there are so many of them that are worth visiting in San Antonio. Check out the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park to learn more about the city’s religious roots. You can even turn seeing the different missions into your entire day by planning a hike to see all of them.

Additional historical sites that are worth visiting include the San Fernando Cathedral and the Spanish Governor’s Palace. Of course, we cannot forget about The Alamo if we’re talking about must-see spots in San Antonio.

The Japanese Tea Garden and the Natural Bridge Caverns are additional locations that residents must see in person. Remember to visit those places if you’ve already checked the historic sites off of your list.

One last place we want to highlight is The Pearl District. The Pearl District is basically where you need to go if you’re searching for good food. Whether you’re looking to buy fresh ingredients or enjoy restaurant dining, The Pearl District has you covered.

There really is no end to entertainment options in San Antonio. Whether you want to spend the day channeling your inner child at Six Flags or SeaWorld or explore the museums.

There’s also the world-famous River Walk, complete with all kinds of shopping, eating, and nightlife opportunities. San Antonio has an amazing zoo, the NBA team, the Spurs, and of course, the Alamo. Plus, there are also several other missions worth exploring that speak to the area’s rich history. You can also enjoy lots of outdoor activities, like hiking and biking. Plus, you can go boating on Canyon or Medina Lake.

San Antonio is also very close to Texas wine country, so you’re only moments away from several fantastic wineries. You can take in the gorgeous scenery, complete with colorful wildflowers, and taste gourmet wines.

Although most of the year experiences pleasant temperatures and little rain, the summers can be brutal. Plus, there is some risk of flash flooding during heavy rains. The combination of hills and limestone means not a lot of run-off, which means deep water in low areas.

In the summer months, temperatures can reach 100 degrees, typically falling between 90 and 100. So, when summer rolls around, you probably want to stay indoors whenever possible. Here’s a glimpse at the average highs, lows, and rainy days in the summer.

The upside to living down South for many Americans is that they’re able to avoid harsh winters. The flipside to that if you’re living in the South is that you have to endure high temperatures. San Antonio is notorious for having scorching hot summers. Triple-digit temperature readings become the norm whenever summer rolls around.

What makes dealing with the high temperature even tougher is the presence of humidity. Even if you’re just sitting down at home, you may find yourself getting all sweaty and sticky during the summer.

Running your air conditioner is pretty much a necessity during the summer. It’s either that or driving to one of the beaches nearby to cool off.

This seems to be a common con in most big cities, and San Antonio is no exception. Since it’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, that means there’s always construction. And when you have constant construction, you get lots of traffic.

San Antonio also has lots of quarries, which can get pretty loud when they are blasting. Plus, you end up with lots of rock trucks, which adds to the traffic situation. So, if you live in San Antonio, you might want to ensure you know the locations of the quarries. You don’t want to end up living with one in your backyard.

Related Questions

Is San Antonio a safe place to live?

San Antonio is a relatively safe place to live, with a violent crime rate of about 1 in 158 residents. This is compared to a rate of 1 in 243 for the state of Texas. However, the rate for property crimes is higher, coming in at roughly 1 in 25. This is compared to a rate of 1 in 42 for Texas.Like any city, some San Antonio neighborhoods are safer than others, so do your research before choosing where to live. 

Does San Antonio experience any kind of natural disasters?

Yes, San Antonio can experience hurricanes, as well as earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires. Although earthquakes are not very common, and low-level brush fires are more common than huge wildfires. Hurricanes are also not overly common, and the city has only had about 19 since 1930.

Overall, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to living in San Antonio. It’s both a unique and fun place to live, with an attractive low cost of living. However, the low cost of living is somewhat offset by higher property taxes and a lower than average income.

Still, there are ample opportunities for entertainment, great food, and outdoor fun. But, you’ll want to stay inside during the sweltering summer heat.