The Town FilesCallender Lake, Texas
Community in Van Zandt County · population 1,090 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,000
- Household income
- $44,444
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 61.6
Callender Lake is a community of 1,090 people in Van Zandt County, Texas. The median home is worth $111,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 93% of Texas towns, quieter than 93% of Texas towns.
How Callender Lake 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 Callender Lake is worth $111,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $44,444, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. 95.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Callender Lake | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $44,444 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 95.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.7% | — |
Who lives in Callender Lake
| People | Callender Lake | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 61.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Callender Lake
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.5°F. About 44.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 42 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Callender Lake since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 10, 2015 about 5.7 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 47 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 29, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 21, 1997.
Severe weather in Van Zandt County since 1996
Van Zandt County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County had 12,815 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,624 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Callender Lake itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Callender Lake
- Brownsboro, TX6.7 mi · 1,212 people · home $197,800
- Murchison, TX6.9 mi · 516 people · home $162,500
- Van, TX11.7 mi · 2,664 people · home $169,900
- Athens, TX13.5 mi · 12,857 people · home $210,800
- Chandler, TX13.7 mi · 3,275 people · home $246,300
- Canton, TX16.3 mi · 4,229 people · home $219,900
- Hideaway, TX16.8 mi · 3,201 people · home $335,100
- Sunrise Shores, TX16.9 mi · 598 people · home —
Callender Lake questions
Is Callender Lake, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Callender Lake scores better for retirees than 93% of Texas towns and quieter than 93%. 38.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.6).
How much does a house cost in Callender Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Callender Lake is valued at $111,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,444, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Callender Lake?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 34.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Callender Lake get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Callender Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 10, 2015. 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)