The Town FilesGarrett, Texas
Town in Ellis County · population 829 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,800
- Household income
- $79,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 25.4
Garrett is a town of 829 people in Ellis County, Texas. The median home is worth $125,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Texas towns, more walkable than 91% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 81% of Texas towns.
How Garrett 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 Garrett is worth $125,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $79,792, which is more affordable than 91% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,593 a month. 70.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garrett | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,593 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $79,792 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 70.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Garrett
| People | Garrett | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 41.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 1.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Garrett
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 40.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 103 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 39 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garrett since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 13, 1985 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 26, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 74 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 14, 2023.
Severe weather in Ellis County since 1996
Ellis County has been included in 24 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 Ellis County
Ellis County had 62,721 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,911 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Garrett itself the ACS puts it at 17.4%.
Towns near Garrett
- Ennis, TX3.6 mi · 20,159 people · home $260,100
- Palmer, TX3.8 mi · 2,393 people · home $226,000
- Bristol, TX7.0 mi · 714 people · home $634,800
- Bardwell, TX7.8 mi · 625 people · home $133,000
- Pecan Hill, TX11.0 mi · 735 people · home $325,400
- Ferris, TX11.3 mi · 2,788 people · home $261,800
- Waxahachie, TX11.4 mi · 41,140 people · home $336,500
- Red Oak, TX12.1 mi · 14,222 people · home $366,100
Garrett questions
Is Garrett, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garrett scores better for retirees than 34% of Texas towns and quieter than 35%. 6.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.4).
How much does a house cost in Garrett?
The median owner-occupied home in Garrett is valued at $125,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,792, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $1,593 a month.
What is the weather like in Garrett?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Garrett get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garrett since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 13, 1985. 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)