Somerset's housing stock is characteristically rural-residential: older ranch-style homes on established lots sit alongside custom-built newer construction, much of it on larger parcels than typical city lots. Many properties include generous yards, mature trees, or small acreage, and new subdivisions have broadened the mix as the area has grown. There is little high-density or multifamily development; single-family homes on sizable lots dominate, appealing to buyers who want space and a degree of self-sufficiency. The market character is that of a San Antonio-area town still defined by land and low density — established homes, new construction, and open country all within commuting distance of the city.

Somerset is a compact incorporated city surrounded by open Bexar County countryside rather than a collection of large master-planned subdivisions. The town core clusters around the schools and civic buildings near the main highways, with established residential streets of ranch-style homes radiating outward. Beyond the core, the landscape transitions into rural subdivisions and scattered homesites on acreage, particularly along roads leading south toward northern Atascosa County, where ranchland and residential parcels intermingle. This pattern means residents can choose between the closer-knit feel of the original town and the greater privacy of surrounding tracts, with the shared experience of a small, county-centered community only minutes from San Antonio.

Somerset offers a small-town, rural-residential way of life within a short drive of a major Texas city. The pace is unhurried, and the community retains a strong sense of local identity rooted in its agricultural and church beginnings. Many residents own their homes and keep larger yards or small acreage, and daily life runs through the schools, local churches, and neighborhood gathering spots rather than a large commercial core. For entertainment, dining, and culture, San Antonio — the Alamo, the River Walk, and its missions — is about a half-hour away, while the Medina River and the Hill Country provide outdoor escapes. It is a lifestyle suited to families and workers who want country living, a local school district, and city access in one package.

Somerset is served by the Somerset Independent School District, a compact district of about eight campuses and roughly 4,200 students serving the city and the surrounding rural area south of San Antonio. The district emphasizes STEM, fine arts, athletics, and dual-credit college courses, giving a small-town system a breadth of academic offerings. Its schools function as community anchors in a city without a large commercial center, hosting much of the town's civic and social activity. For families, the appeal is a locally controlled, town-centered district rather than a large regional system, with the educational options of San Antonio still within commuting distance.

Somerset sits off State Highway 1604, which circles San Antonio and connects the city to the broader metropolitan road network, placing downtown San Antonio about 15 miles to the northeast. Most travel is by car, and commuting to San Antonio for work and shopping is a roughly 30-minute drive depending on route and traffic. The city's rural setting means there is no fixed-route transit of its own, so households rely on personal vehicles, with the wider Interstate network reachable via Loop 1604. This road access — open country at the door, the city within a short drive — is central to Somerset's role as a lower-density residential outpost of the San Antonio metro area.

Recreation in and around Somerset is modest and outdoorsy. The Medina River, which runs through this part of Bexar County, offers fishing, swimming, and shaded cypress-lined banks within a short drive, and the Hill Country's lakes and parks lie to the northwest. For larger-scale recreation, residents rely on San Antonio, roughly a half-hour away, for its River Walk, Alamo, missions, and park systems. The surrounding ranchland and open roads also make the area suited to a quiet, rural pace rather than a dense calendar of local events. Overall, Somerset's appeal is access to both country recreation and big-city amenities, with the Medina River and Hill Country serving as the closest natural escapes.