The Town FilesEmerald Bay, Texas
Community in Smith County · population 1,146 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $351,000
- Household income
- $98,068
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 72.3
Emerald Bay is a community of 1,146 people in Smith County, Texas. The median home is worth $351,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns, quieter than 93% of Texas towns, hipper than 79% of Texas towns.
How Emerald Bay 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 Emerald Bay is worth $351,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $98,068, which is more affordable than 25% of Texas towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Emerald Bay | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $351,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $98,068 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Emerald Bay
| People | Emerald Bay | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 72.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 76.3% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 5.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 41.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Emerald Bay
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 38.5°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 96 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 28 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Emerald Bay since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 23, 1979 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 84 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on February 5, 2008.
Severe weather in Smith County since 1996
Smith County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Smith County
Smith County had 113,523 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,439 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Emerald Bay itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Towns near Emerald Bay
- Shadybrook, TX3.1 mi · 2,400 people · home $232,300
- Sunrise Shores, TX4.2 mi · 598 people · home —
- Berryville, TX5.3 mi · 824 people · home $137,100
- Noonday, TX6.1 mi · 612 people · home $267,200
- Bullard, TX7.2 mi · 3,318 people · home $247,100
- Frankston, TX8.2 mi · 1,126 people · home $103,700
- Chandler, TX10.3 mi · 3,275 people · home $246,300
- Tyler, TX13.3 mi · 105,995 people · home $235,300
Emerald Bay questions
Is Emerald Bay, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Emerald Bay scores better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns and quieter than 93%. 76.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 72.3).
How much does a house cost in Emerald Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Emerald Bay is valued at $351,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,068, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Emerald Bay?
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 38.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Emerald Bay get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Emerald Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 23, 1979. 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)