The Town FilesKemp, Texas
City in Kaufman County · population 1,129 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $168,100
- Household income
- $55,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.3
Kemp is a city of 1,129 people in Kaufman County, Texas. The median home is worth $168,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Texas towns, hipper than 90% of Texas towns, easier by car than 75% of Texas towns.
How Kemp 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 Kemp is worth $168,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $55,833, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,036 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kemp | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $168,100 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,036 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $55,833 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 73.2% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Kemp
| People | Kemp | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Kemp
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 35.7°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 103 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 35 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kemp since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 29, 2019 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on October 24, 2010.
Severe weather in Kaufman County since 1996
Kaufman County has been included in 20 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kaufman County
Kaufman County had 43,536 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,964 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Kemp itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Kemp
5 public schools with 1,967 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEMP PRI | PK-2 | 556 | 16.4 |
| KEMP H S | 9-12 | 554 | 12.3 |
| KEMP INT | 3-5 | 429 | 13.0 |
| KEMP J H | 6-8 | 415 | 15.4 |
| KEMP ALTERNATIVE | 10-12 | 13 | 6.5 |
Towns near Kemp
- Seven Points, TX8.1 mi · 1,370 people · home $91,100
- Mabank, TX8.2 mi · 4,050 people · home $254,900
- Oak Grove, TX8.5 mi · 617 people · home $276,700
- Gun Barrel City, TX9.3 mi · 6,190 people · home $237,300
- Scurry, TX10.6 mi · 688 people · home $282,700
- Kaufman, TX10.9 mi · 6,797 people · home $221,800
- Tool, TX11.3 mi · 2,175 people · home $213,300
- Oak Ridge, TX13.3 mi · 771 people · home $335,500
Kemp questions
Is Kemp, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kemp scores better for retirees than 74% of Texas towns and quieter than 36%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Kemp?
The median owner-occupied home in Kemp is valued at $168,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,833, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,036 a month.
What is the weather like in Kemp?
July highs average 95.7°F and January lows 35.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Kemp get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kemp since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 29, 2019. 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)