Sandia's housing reflects its rural, agricultural setting: modest single-family homes and ranch-style houses on larger lots, with scattered acreage and open land between neighbors. There is little in the way of subdivision or tract development, and the community's unincorporated status keeps the building pattern informal. Homes are generally oriented toward space and practicality rather than density, and the market serves people tied to the area's farming, ranching, and nearby Alice employers.

Life in Sandia is quiet, rural, and rooted in South Texas agriculture. The pace follows the seasons of planting, harvest, and ranching, and community life centers on family, church, and the nearby town of Alice. Hot summers and mild winters shape the daily routine, and social activity often revolves around schools, local gatherings, and weekend trips to Corpus Christi or the Gulf Coast. It is a low-key, family-oriented way of life typical of rural South Texas.

Public schooling for the Sandia area is provided through Jim Wells County's school districts, with the nearest comprehensive campuses in nearby Alice, the county seat. Alice Independent School District operates elementary, middle, and high schools in Alice a short drive away, and the county's rural students are distributed among the surrounding districts. The proximity of Alice's schools, along with the county's close-knit educational community, keeps education accessible for Sandia families despite the area's dispersed, rural settlement.

Sandia is connected to the region by U.S. Highway 281, the main north-south route linking the area to Alice and, beyond, to the Corpus Christi and San Antonio regions. State and farm-to-market roads serve the surrounding farmland. Travel is entirely by car, with commutes oriented toward Alice and, for longer trips, Corpus Christi on the Gulf Coast. The community's flat, rural setting makes driving straightforward, and there is no public transit.

Recreation in and around Sandia is low-key and outdoors-oriented, reflecting South Texas's rural character. Hunting, fishing, and ranch-related activities are common pastimes, and the region's open country supports birding and wildlife observation. Residents look to Alice and the surrounding county for parks, school athletics, and community events, while the Gulf Coast beaches of Corpus Christi and nearby lakes provide weekend destinations within a drive.