The Town FilesClear Lake Shores, Texas
City in Galveston County · population 1,258 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $463,400
- Household income
- $111,818
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 58
- Median age
- 54.0
Clear Lake Shores is a city of 1,258 people in Galveston County, Texas. The median home is worth $463,400, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Texas towns, hipper than 96% of Texas towns, more walkable than 94% of Texas towns.
How Clear Lake Shores 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 Clear Lake Shores is worth $463,400, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $111,818, which is more affordable than 14% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,808 a month. 76.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clear Lake Shores | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $463,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,808 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $111,818 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 76.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.6% | — |
Who lives in Clear Lake Shores
| People | Clear Lake Shores | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.0 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Clear Lake Shores
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 45.7°F. About 60.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clear Lake Shores since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 30, 2002 about 5.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 89 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 29, 1975.
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 Clear Lake Shores itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Towns near Clear Lake Shores
- Kemah, TX1.3 mi · 1,807 people · home $281,100
- El Lago, TX2.0 mi · 3,090 people · home $320,900
- Taylor Lake Village, TX2.5 mi · 3,704 people · home $388,900
- Nassau Bay, TX3.3 mi · 5,347 people · home $374,600
- Bacliff, TX3.6 mi · 9,677 people · home $201,500
- Seabrook, TX4.3 mi · 13,618 people · home $350,000
- Webster, TX5.1 mi · 12,499 people · home $281,400
- Shoreacres, TX5.4 mi · 1,566 people · home $287,100
Clear Lake Shores questions
Is Clear Lake Shores, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clear Lake Shores scores better for retirees than 73% of Texas towns and quieter than 25%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.0).
How much does a house cost in Clear Lake Shores?
The median owner-occupied home in Clear Lake Shores is valued at $463,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,818, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,808 a month.
What is the weather like in Clear Lake Shores?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 45.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Clear Lake Shores get tornadoes?
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clear Lake Shores since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 30, 2002. 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)