The Town FilesHale Center, Texas
City in Hale County · population 2,062 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,200
- Household income
- $57,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 46
- Median age
- 43.5
Hale Center is a city of 2,062 people in Hale County, Texas. The median home is worth $76,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 98% of Texas towns, easier by car than 94% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 88% of Texas towns.
How Hale Center 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 Hale Center is worth $76,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $57,083, which is more affordable than 96% of Texas towns. Median rent is $594 a month. 84.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hale Center | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $594 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $57,083 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 84.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hale Center
| People | Hale Center | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hale Center
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 23.7°F. About 18.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hale Center since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 17, 1970 about 1.4 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 151 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 22, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 69 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 27, 2015.
Severe weather in Hale County since 1996
Hale County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| March 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Hale County
Hale County had 10,866 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,708 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Hale Center itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Public schools in Hale Center
4 public schools with 586 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKIN EL | PK-4 | 238 | 11.9 |
| CARR MIDDLE | 5-8 | 174 | 12.4 |
| HALE CENTER H S | 9-12 | 173 | 10.8 |
| HALE CO J J A E P | 12-12 | 1 | — |
Towns near Hale Center
- Plainview, TX11.1 mi · 20,187 people · home $113,000
- Seth Ward, TX13.5 mi · 1,603 people · home $62,400
- Abernathy, TX16.5 mi · 2,865 people · home $176,400
- Olton, TX18.4 mi · 1,989 people · home $50,800
- Petersburg, TX19.6 mi · 1,014 people · home $72,700
- Kress, TX21.4 mi · 596 people · home $87,600
- New Deal, TX23.1 mi · 730 people · home —
- Lockney, TX23.4 mi · 1,498 people · home $82,600
Hale Center questions
Is Hale Center, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hale Center scores better for retirees than 66% of Texas towns and quieter than 98%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Hale Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Hale Center is valued at $76,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,083, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $594 a month.
What is the weather like in Hale Center?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 23.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.4 inches of precipitation a year and 7.4 inches of snow.
Does Hale Center get tornadoes?
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hale Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 17, 1970. 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)