The Town FilesOre City, Texas
City in Upshur County · population 1,108 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $112,500
- Household income
- $72,721
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 33.4
Ore City is a city of 1,108 people in Upshur County, Texas. The median home is worth $112,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Texas towns, quieter than 83% of Texas towns.
How Ore City 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 Ore City is worth $112,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $72,721, which is more affordable than 94% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,236 a month. 73.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ore City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,500 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,236 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $72,721 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 73.6% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.6% | — |
Who lives in Ore City
| People | Ore City | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 31.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 0.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 36.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ore City
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 35.6°F. About 52.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 38 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ore City since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 1, 1988 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 13, 2023.
Severe weather in Upshur County since 1996
Upshur County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Upshur County
Upshur County had 7,753 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,879 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Ore City itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Ore City
3 public schools with 807 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORE CITY EL | PK-5 | 395 | 13.6 |
| ORE CITY H S | 9-12 | 231 | 8.9 |
| ORE CITY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 181 | 9.1 |
Towns near Ore City
- Lone Star, TX9.6 mi · 1,400 people · home $137,500
- Pine Harbor, TX12.9 mi · 785 people · home $60,600
- Gilmer, TX14.0 mi · 4,843 people · home $166,700
- Hughes Springs, TX14.6 mi · 1,575 people · home $153,300
- Daingerfield, TX15.9 mi · 2,522 people · home $100,200
- East Mountain, TX16.9 mi · 899 people · home $196,900
- Longview, TX19.5 mi · 81,638 people · home $202,600
- Pittsburg, TX19.9 mi · 4,335 people · home $119,200
Ore City questions
Is Ore City, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ore City scores better for retirees than 47% of Texas towns and quieter than 83%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.4).
How much does a house cost in Ore City?
The median owner-occupied home in Ore City is valued at $112,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,721, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $1,236 a month.
What is the weather like in Ore City?
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 35.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Ore City get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ore City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 1, 1988. 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)