Module 2 San Antonio Markets
DEMOGRAPHICS ~6 min read

San Antonio Demographics & Growth

Understanding the population trends and economic drivers that make San Antonio a top investment market.

1.6M

City Population

2.6M

Metro Population

#7

Largest US City

1.5%

Annual Growth

Population Growth Trends

San Antonio has been one of the fastest-growing large cities in the US for over a decade. This growth drives housing demand, rental rates, and property values.

2010

1.33M

2020

1.53M

2024

1.60M

San Antonio adds ~20,000-25,000 new residents per year—that's 50-70 new households needing housing every day!

Where Growth is Happening

North/Northwest

Stone Oak, Helotes, Boerne corridor

Fastest

Premium developments, top schools, higher price points

Northeast

Schertz, Cibolo, New Braunfels corridor

Strong

Affordable new construction, military families

South/Southeast

Brooks City Base, Mission area

Moderate

Redevelopment areas, value plays, landlord territory

West Side

Culebra, Marbach corridor

Stable

Working class, strong rental demand, best cash flow

Major Employment Drivers

Military

Joint Base San Antonio is the largest military installation in DoD. 80,000+ military personnel and dependents.

→ Creates constant rental demand

Healthcare

South Texas Medical Center is the largest medical complex in South Texas. 45,000+ healthcare jobs.

→ High-income renters and buyers

Cybersecurity

Cyber Command center and tech corridor growing. Major investments from Google, Microsoft.

→ Tech worker migration from Austin

Tourism

River Walk, Alamo, theme parks bring 30M+ visitors annually. Steady hospitality employment.

→ Service worker housing demand

Population Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18
26%
18-34
24%
35-54
25%
55+
25%

Key Stats

Median Age 34.4 years
Median Household Income $58,000
Owner-Occupied 54%
Renter-Occupied 46%

Why Demographics Matter for Investing

Young Population = Rental Demand

Younger demographics often rent longer before buying. San Antonio's 24% aged 18-34 supports strong rental market.

46% Renters = Landlord Opportunity

Nearly half the city rents—much higher than national average of 34%. Huge landlord buyer pool for your deals.

Military = Constant Turnover

Military families move every 2-4 years. Creates constant rental churn and both rental/purchase demand.

Family Size = 3BR+ Demand

26% under 18 means lots of families. 3BR/2BA homes rent fastest and flip quickest.

Key Takeaway

San Antonio's demographics are perfect for real estate investors: strong population growth (20K+/year), high renter percentage (46%), diverse economy with military/healthcare/tech, and young families needing 3BR homes. Growth is fastest in north/northeast but best cash flow is on west/south sides.