The Town FilesGholson, Texas
City in McLennan County · population 1,250 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,800
- Household income
- $77,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 43.1
Gholson is a city of 1,250 people in McLennan County, Texas. The median home is worth $148,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 80% of Texas towns, quieter than 80% of Texas towns.
How Gholson 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 Gholson is worth $148,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $77,500, which is more affordable than 83% of Texas towns. Median rent is $862 a month. 79.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gholson | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $862 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $77,500 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 79.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Gholson
| People | Gholson | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Gholson
July highs average 96.7°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 115 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 34 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gholson since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 6, 1973 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 79 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on April 26, 2023.
Severe weather in McLennan County since 1996
McLennan County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in McLennan County
McLennan County had 122,697 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,387 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Gholson itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Gholson
- China Spring, TX5.5 mi · 1,436 people · home $248,400
- Lacy-Lakeview, TX9.4 mi · 6,988 people · home $160,600
- Waco, TX10.6 mi · 138,486 people · home $221,700
- Willow Grove, TX10.7 mi · 2,082 people · home $269,600
- West, TX10.8 mi · 2,531 people · home $182,900
- Bellmead, TX11.3 mi · 10,494 people · home $155,100
- Beverly Hills, TX13.5 mi · 1,878 people · home $156,700
- Laguna Park, TX13.9 mi · 1,372 people · home $206,300
Gholson questions
Is Gholson, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gholson scores better for retirees than 80% of Texas towns and quieter than 80%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Gholson?
The median owner-occupied home in Gholson is valued at $148,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,500, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $862 a month.
What is the weather like in Gholson?
July highs average 96.7°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Gholson get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gholson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 6, 1973. 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)