The Town FilesSanderson, Texas
Community in Terrell County · population 664 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,100
- Household income
- $46,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 60.5
Sanderson is a community of 664 people in Terrell County, Texas. The median home is worth $109,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 100% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 100% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 98% of Texas towns.
How Sanderson 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 Sanderson is worth $109,100, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $46,667, which is more affordable than 72% of Texas towns. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sanderson | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,100 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $46,667 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Sanderson
| People | Sanderson | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 10.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 10.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sanderson
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 32.2°F. About 14.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 107 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sanderson since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 2, 2024 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on November 2, 2024.
Severe weather in Terrell County since 1996
Terrell County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2026 | Flood | EM-3649: Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Terrell County
Terrell County had 265 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,184 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sanderson itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Sanderson
1 public school with 117 students, about 8.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANDERSON SCHOOLS | K-12 | 117 | 8.4 |
Sanderson questions
Is Sanderson, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sanderson scores better for retirees than 98% of Texas towns and quieter than 100%. 37.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.5).
How much does a house cost in Sanderson?
The median owner-occupied home in Sanderson is valued at $109,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,667, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sanderson?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 32.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Sanderson get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sanderson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 2, 2024. 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)