The Town FilesO'Donnell, Texas
City in Lynn County · population 704 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $67,600
- Household income
- $59,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 46.8
O'Donnell is a city of 704 people in Lynn County, Texas. The median home is worth $67,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Texas towns, hipper than 93% of Texas towns, easier by car than 91% of Texas towns.
How O'Donnell 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 O'Donnell is worth $67,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.1 times the median household income of $59,286, which is more affordable than 99% of Texas towns. Median rent is $646 a month. 81.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | O'Donnell | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $67,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $646 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $59,286 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 81.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in O'Donnell
| People | O'Donnell | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.4% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in O'Donnell
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 20.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of O'Donnell since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 8, 1965 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 19, 2002.
Severe weather in Lynn County since 1996
Lynn County has been included in 18 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 Lynn County
Lynn County had 1,489 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,219 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in O'Donnell itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in O'Donnell
1 public school with 271 students, about 8.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| O'DONNELL SCHOOL | PK-12 | 271 | 8.2 |
Towns near O'Donnell
- Tahoka, TX13.9 mi · 2,375 people · home $128,200
- Lamesa, TX17.5 mi · 8,674 people · home $95,000
- Brownfield, TX29.5 mi · 8,936 people · home $100,600
O'Donnell questions
Is O'Donnell, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, O'Donnell scores better for retirees than 93% of Texas towns and quieter than 80%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.8).
How much does a house cost in O'Donnell?
The median owner-occupied home in O'Donnell is valued at $67,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,286, so homes cost about 1.1 times income. Median rent is $646 a month.
What is the weather like in O'Donnell?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.7 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does O'Donnell get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of O'Donnell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 8, 1965. 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)