The Town FilesPort Arthur, Texas
City in Jefferson County · population 56,039 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $107,400
- Household income
- $46,354
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 55
- Median age
- 35.5
Port Arthur is a city of 56,039 people in Jefferson County, Texas. The median home is worth $107,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 95% of Texas towns, more walkable than 94% of Texas towns, better transit than 89% of Texas towns.
How Port Arthur 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 Port Arthur is worth $107,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $46,354, which is more affordable than 72% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,021 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Port Arthur | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,021 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $46,354 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Port Arthur
| People | Port Arthur | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.3% | — |
| Work from home | 1.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Port Arthur
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 43.8°F. About 62.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 93 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Arthur since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 17 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 7, 1957 about 4.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 184 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 7, 2003.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 31 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 |
| December 9, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4572: Hurricane Laura |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 124,861 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,970 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Port Arthur itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Port Arthur
20 public schools with 10,107 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEMORIAL H S | 9-12 | 2,068 | 12.9 |
| JEFFERSON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 847 | 14.6 |
| HOUSTON EL | PK-5 | 748 | 15.3 |
| TYRRELL EL | PK-5 | 699 | 16.3 |
| BOB HOPE SCHOOL - EL CAMPUS (charter) | PK-5 | 642 | 19.5 |
| STAFF SERGEANT LUCIAN ADAMS EL | PK-5 | 628 | 16.1 |
| LINCOLN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 626 | 11.8 |
| LAKEVIEW EL | PK-5 | 578 | 15.2 |
| BOB HOPE H S (charter) | 9-12 | 551 | 18.4 |
| TRAVIS EL | PK-5 | 523 | 15.4 |
| PORT ACRES EL | PK-5 | 514 | 16.6 |
| BOB HOPE SCHOOL (charter) | 6-8 | 443 | 23.3 |
Towns near Port Arthur
- Groves, TX3.4 mi · 17,335 people · home $163,600
- Port Neches, TX5.8 mi · 13,692 people · home $253,200
- Nederland, TX8.0 mi · 18,856 people · home $208,300
- Bridge City, TX9.6 mi · 9,546 people · home $202,800
- Central Gardens, TX9.7 mi · 4,373 people · home $216,700
- West Orange, TX14.8 mi · 3,459 people · home $110,700
- Vidor, TX16.8 mi · 9,789 people · home $131,400
- Orange, TX17.6 mi · 19,324 people · home $164,900
Port Arthur questions
Is Port Arthur, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Port Arthur scores better for retirees than 10% of Texas towns and quieter than 15%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Port Arthur?
The median owner-occupied home in Port Arthur is valued at $107,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,354, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,021 a month.
What is the weather like in Port Arthur?
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 43.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 62.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Port Arthur get tornadoes?
55 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Arthur since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 7, 1957. 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)