The Town FilesPanhandle, Texas
Town in Carson County · population 2,378 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,000
- Household income
- $85,870
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 48.2
Panhandle is a town of 2,378 people in Carson County, Texas. The median home is worth $161,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Texas towns, easier by car than 96% of Texas towns, quieter than 93% of Texas towns.
How Panhandle 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 Panhandle is worth $161,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $85,870, which is more affordable than 83% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,038 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Panhandle | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,038 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $85,870 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Panhandle
| People | Panhandle | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Panhandle
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 21.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Panhandle since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 17, 1970 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 142 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 16, 1961.
Severe weather in Carson County since 1996
Carson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2021 | Fire | FM-5422: North 207 Fire |
| 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 Carson County
Carson County had 6,841 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $98,977 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Panhandle itself the ACS puts it at 0.2%.
Public schools in Panhandle
3 public schools with 625 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANHANDLE EL | PK-5 | 293 | 13.3 |
| PANHANDLE H S | 9-12 | 199 | 9.5 |
| PANHANDLE J H | 6-8 | 133 | 10.2 |
Towns near Panhandle
- White Deer, TX13.0 mi · 918 people · home $116,700
- Claude, TX16.5 mi · 1,186 people · home $170,600
- Groom, TX18.2 mi · 552 people · home $93,900
- Borger, TX21.7 mi · 12,551 people · home $103,400
- Fritch, TX23.8 mi · 1,859 people · home $132,300
- Pampa, TX27.2 mi · 16,867 people · home $100,700
- Amarillo, TX27.3 mi · 200,393 people · home $196,900
Panhandle questions
Is Panhandle, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Panhandle scores better for retirees than 98% of Texas towns and quieter than 93%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
How much does a house cost in Panhandle?
The median owner-occupied home in Panhandle is valued at $161,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,870, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,038 a month.
What is the weather like in Panhandle?
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.1 inches of precipitation a year and 13.6 inches of snow.
Does Panhandle get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Panhandle 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)