The Town FilesCross Plains, Texas
Town in Callahan County · population 899 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,500
- Household income
- $47,292
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 32.5
Cross Plains is a town of 899 people in Callahan County, Texas. The median home is worth $79,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 95% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 94% of Texas towns, quieter than 89% of Texas towns.
How Cross Plains 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 Cross Plains is worth $79,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $47,292, which is more affordable than 88% of Texas towns. Median rent is $720 a month. 62.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cross Plains | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,500 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $720 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $47,292 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 62.9% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cross Plains
| People | Cross Plains | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 34.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Cross Plains
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 30.6°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cross Plains since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 25, 2024 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 11, 2016.
Severe weather in Callahan County since 1996
Callahan County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 25, 2019 | Flood | DR-4416: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Callahan County
Callahan County had 2,971 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,912 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Cross Plains itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Cross Plains
2 public schools with 364 students, about 9.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CROSS PLAINS EL | PK-6 | 212 | 11.8 |
| CROSS PLAINS H S | 7-12 | 152 | 7.2 |
Towns near Cross Plains
- Rising Star, TX11.8 mi · 756 people · home $39,500
- Thunderbird Bay, TX17.3 mi · 764 people · home $65,700
- Cisco, TX21.0 mi · 3,883 people · home $104,300
- Lake Brownwood, TX21.7 mi · 1,462 people · home $130,700
- Baird, TX22.9 mi · 1,479 people · home $76,800
- Coleman, TX25.4 mi · 3,912 people · home $71,900
- Clyde, TX27.6 mi · 3,811 people · home $151,200
- Eastland, TX27.8 mi · 3,609 people · home $174,900
Cross Plains questions
Is Cross Plains, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cross Plains scores better for retirees than 94% of Texas towns and quieter than 89%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.5).
How much does a house cost in Cross Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Cross Plains is valued at $79,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,292, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $720 a month.
What is the weather like in Cross Plains?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 30.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.5 inches of snow.
Does Cross Plains get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cross Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 25, 2024. 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)