The Town FilesBayou Vista, Texas
City in Galveston County · population 1,763 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $375,600
- Household income
- $120,455
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 68
- Median age
- 58.5
Bayou Vista is a city of 1,763 people in Galveston County, Texas. The median home is worth $375,600, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 99% of Texas towns, better transit than 98% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of Texas towns.
How Bayou Vista 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 Bayou Vista is worth $375,600, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $120,455, which is more affordable than 45% of Texas towns. Median rent is $2,083 a month. 89.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bayou Vista | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $375,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $2,083 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $120,455 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 89.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.2% | — |
Who lives in Bayou Vista
| People | Bayou Vista | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 4.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 17.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Bayou Vista
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 48.9°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
68 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bayou Vista since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 12, 1961 about 9.6 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 235 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 6, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 2, 2013.
Severe weather in Galveston County since 1996
Galveston County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 9, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4572: Hurricane Laura |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Galveston County
Galveston County had 122,734 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,650 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Bayou Vista itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Bayou Vista
- Tiki Island, TX2.4 mi · 1,106 people · home $678,900
- La Marque, TX4.5 mi · 18,030 people · home $206,900
- Hitchcock, TX5.1 mi · 7,301 people · home $188,300
- Texas City, TX8.0 mi · 51,898 people · home $217,300
- Jamaica Beach, TX9.6 mi · 1,078 people · home $333,500
- Galveston, TX9.8 mi · 53,695 people · home $326,000
- Santa Fe, TX10.7 mi · 12,735 people · home $325,800
- Dickinson, TX11.2 mi · 20,847 people · home $278,000
Bayou Vista questions
Is Bayou Vista, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bayou Vista scores better for retirees than 88% of Texas towns and quieter than 94%. 31.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.5).
How much does a house cost in Bayou Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Bayou Vista is valued at $375,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,455, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $2,083 a month.
What is the weather like in Bayou Vista?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 48.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Bayou Vista get tornadoes?
68 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bayou Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 12, 1961. 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)