The Town FilesLake Kiowa, Texas
Community in Cooke County · population 2,254 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $526,900
- Household income
- $125,956
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 60.3
Lake Kiowa is a community of 2,254 people in Cooke County, Texas. The median home is worth $526,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns, quieter than 99% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 99% of Texas towns.
How Lake Kiowa 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 Lake Kiowa is worth $526,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $125,956, which is more affordable than 13% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,815 a month. 92.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Kiowa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $526,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,815 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $125,956 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 92.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.2% | — |
Who lives in Lake Kiowa
| People | Lake Kiowa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 13.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.3% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lake Kiowa
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 31.7°F. About 42.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 82 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Kiowa since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 14, 1974 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 118 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 21, 1996.
Severe weather in Cooke County since 1996
Cooke County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 Cooke County
Cooke County had 16,535 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,891 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Lake Kiowa itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Lake Kiowa
- Collinsville, TX6.1 mi · 1,866 people · home $241,700
- Road Runner, TX7.3 mi · 766 people · home —
- Whitesboro, TX8.8 mi · 4,074 people · home $249,800
- Tioga, TX8.8 mi · 1,142 people · home $317,700
- Gainesville, TX9.1 mi · 17,394 people · home $177,000
- Valley View, TX10.5 mi · 737 people · home $250,500
- Pilot Point, TX12.4 mi · 4,381 people · home $292,500
- Lindsay, TX12.9 mi · 1,045 people · home $352,300
Lake Kiowa questions
Is Lake Kiowa, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Kiowa scores better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns and quieter than 99%. 37.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.3).
How much does a house cost in Lake Kiowa?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Kiowa is valued at $526,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,956, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,815 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Kiowa?
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 31.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.6 inches of snow.
Does Lake Kiowa get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Kiowa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 14, 1974. 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)