The Town FilesEl Cenizo, Texas
City in Webb County · population 2,540 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $69,800
- Household income
- $48,897
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 28.6
El Cenizo is a city of 2,540 people in Webb County, Texas. The median home is worth $69,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100).
How El Cenizo 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 El Cenizo is worth $69,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $48,897, which is more affordable than 95% of Texas towns. Median rent is $628 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Cenizo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $69,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $628 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $48,897 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in El Cenizo
| People | El Cenizo | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 34.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 33.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in El Cenizo
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 46.5°F. About 21.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 184 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Cenizo since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 5, 1961 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 1977.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on March 30, 2012.
Severe weather in Webb County since 1996
Webb County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2026 | Flood | EM-3649: Flooding |
| 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 |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
Jobs and pay in Webb County
Webb County had 107,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,378 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in El Cenizo itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in El Cenizo
1 public school with 340 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KENNEDY ZAPATA EL | PK-5 | 340 | 13.1 |
Towns near El Cenizo
- Rio Bravo, TX2.5 mi · 4,450 people · home $77,400
- Laredo, TX15.8 mi · 255,205 people · home $193,500
El Cenizo questions
Is El Cenizo, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Cenizo scores better for retirees than 2% of Texas towns and quieter than 35%. 7.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.6).
How much does a house cost in El Cenizo?
The median owner-occupied home in El Cenizo is valued at $69,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,897, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $628 a month.
What is the weather like in El Cenizo?
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 46.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does El Cenizo get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Cenizo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 5, 1961. 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)