The Town FilesChildress, Texas
City in Childress County · population 5,737 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,900
- Household income
- $57,644
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 35.6
Childress is a city of 5,737 people in Childress County, Texas. The median home is worth $85,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of Texas towns, hipper than 89% of Texas towns, easier by car than 85% of Texas towns.
- #10 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Texas
- #15 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Texas
- #16 in The 25 Most Walkable Historic Small Towns in Texas
- #17 in 25 Small Towns in Texas With the Oldest Homes
- #45 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America With Mild Winters
- #45 in The 50 Best Affordable Places to Retire in America With Mild Winters
How Childress 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 Childress is worth $85,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $57,644, which is more affordable than 94% of Texas towns. Median rent is $910 a month. 65.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Childress | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $910 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $57,644 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 65.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.6% | — |
Who lives in Childress
| People | Childress | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Childress
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 23.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 102 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Childress since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 9, 2006 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 117 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 30, 2017.
Severe weather in Childress County since 1996
Childress County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4255: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Childress County
Childress County had 2,871 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,760 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Childress itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.
Public schools in Childress
3 public schools with 976 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHILDRESS EL | PK-5 | 432 | 13.9 |
| CHILDRESS H S | 9-12 | 318 | 10.3 |
| CHILDRESS J H | 6-8 | 226 | 11.9 |
Childress questions
Is Childress, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Childress scores better for retirees than 80% of Texas towns and quieter than 68%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Childress?
The median owner-occupied home in Childress is valued at $85,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,644, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $910 a month.
What is the weather like in Childress?
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.7 inches of precipitation a year and 5.5 inches of snow.
Does Childress get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Childress since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 9, 2006. 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)