Places › Texas › Port Arthur

Living in Port Arthur, TX

Small city in Texas

Port Arthur is a small city in Texas, home to about 56,000 people, with 306,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Port Arthur a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $162k and rents for $1,450 a month
  • Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: HOU is 82 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 11% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Smaller job market: about 306,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • No dog parks within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Port Arthur ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
56,000
306,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
65°F / 92°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$162k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,450/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
90
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 1.43% property tax
Safety
1.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
11%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
HOU
82 mi away

Living in Port Arthur: common questions

What is the cost of living in Port Arthur?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $162k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,450 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Port Arthur?

Texas has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 1.43% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Port Arthur safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Port Arthur?

Port Arthur is warm all year: winter days average around 65°F and summer days around 92°F.

Does Port Arthur get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.53 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Port Arthur?

The nearest major airport is HOU, about 82 mi away.

How Port Arthur scores

Each bar compares Port Arthur with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Below average
✈️Airport Good

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Is Port Arthur right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.