The Town FilesBen Bolt, Texas
Community in Jim Wells County · population 1,662 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $100,000
- Household income
- $61,741
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 34.8
Ben Bolt is a community of 1,662 people in Jim Wells County, Texas. The median home is worth $100,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 86% of Texas towns.
How Ben Bolt 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 Ben Bolt is worth $100,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $61,741, which is more affordable than 91% of Texas towns. Median rent is $873 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ben Bolt | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $873 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $61,741 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ben Bolt
| People | Ben Bolt | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ben Bolt
July highs average 97.1°F and January lows 47.0°F. About 27.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 144 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ben Bolt since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 10, 1980 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 26, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on May 30, 1968.
Severe weather in Jim Wells County since 1996
Jim Wells County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2026 | Flood | EM-3649: Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County had 15,016 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,794 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Ben Bolt itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Ben Bolt
1 public school with 195 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEN BOLT-PALITO BLANCO H S | 7-12 | 195 | 9.8 |
Towns near Ben Bolt
- Coyote Acres, TX4.0 mi · 570 people · home —
- Rancho Alegre, TX5.1 mi · 1,415 people · home $51,100
- Alice, TX6.5 mi · 17,891 people · home $131,100
- San Diego, TX10.9 mi · 3,748 people · home $85,600
- Agua Dulce, TX14.0 mi · 685 people · home $85,000
- Kingsville, TX18.0 mi · 25,402 people · home $149,400
- Bishop, TX19.1 mi · 3,174 people · home $111,800
- Benavides, TX20.0 mi · 1,183 people · home $70,600
Ben Bolt questions
Is Ben Bolt, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ben Bolt scores better for retirees than 21% of Texas towns and quieter than 86%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Ben Bolt?
The median owner-occupied home in Ben Bolt is valued at $100,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,741, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $873 a month.
What is the weather like in Ben Bolt?
July highs average 97.1°F and January lows 47.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Ben Bolt get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ben Bolt since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 10, 1980. 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)