The Town FilesArp, Texas
City in Smith County · population 892 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $106,100
- Household income
- $72,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 36.6
Arp is a city of 892 people in Smith County, Texas. The median home is worth $106,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 94% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 89% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 83% of Texas towns.
How Arp ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arp is worth $106,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $72,500, which is more affordable than 94% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,037 a month. 81.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arp | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,100 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $72,500 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 81.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Arp
| People | Arp | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Arp
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 35.6°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 89 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 41 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arp since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 15, 1987 about 6.9 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 6 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 10, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 11, 1962.
Severe weather in Smith County since 1996
Smith County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Smith County
Smith County had 113,523 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,439 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Arp itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in Arp
3 public schools with 1,002 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARP EL | PK-5 | 463 | 14.5 |
| ARP H S | 9-12 | 302 | 10.1 |
| ARP J H | 6-8 | 237 | 13.2 |
Towns near Arp
- Overton, TX5.8 mi · 2,275 people · home $115,300
- Troup, TX6.9 mi · 2,006 people · home $159,400
- New London, TX7.8 mi · 958 people · home $150,000
- New Chapel Hill, TX8.5 mi · 620 people · home $186,400
- Whitehouse, TX9.8 mi · 8,257 people · home $253,800
- Henderson, TX15.7 mi · 13,271 people · home $173,700
- Tyler, TX16.1 mi · 105,995 people · home $235,300
- Kilgore, TX16.3 mi · 13,376 people · home $171,600
Arp questions
Is Arp, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arp scores better for retirees than 89% of Texas towns and quieter than 94%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.6).
How much does a house cost in Arp?
The median owner-occupied home in Arp is valued at $106,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,500, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $1,037 a month.
What is the weather like in Arp?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 35.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Arp get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arp since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 15, 1987. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)