The Town FilesTatum, Texas
City in Rusk County · population 1,342 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $195,200
- Household income
- $77,404
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 31.5
Tatum is a city of 1,342 people in Rusk County, Texas. The median home is worth $195,200, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Texas towns, better for families than 74% of Texas towns.
How Tatum 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 Tatum is worth $195,200, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $77,404, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 66.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tatum | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $195,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $918 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $77,404 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 66.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.4% | — |
Who lives in Tatum
| People | Tatum | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 30.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Tatum
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.0°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 89 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 29 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tatum since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 4, 1959 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 31, 2005.
Severe weather in Rusk County since 1996
Rusk County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Rusk County
Rusk County had 13,100 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,942 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Tatum itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Tatum
4 public schools with 1,383 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TATUM H S | 9-12 | 449 | 12.5 |
| TATUM MIDDLE | 6-8 | 333 | 12.8 |
| TATUM PRI | PK-2 | 307 | 13.3 |
| TATUM EL | 3-5 | 294 | 14.0 |
Towns near Tatum
- Beckville, TX6.2 mi · 722 people · home $115,400
- Lake Cherokee, TX8.3 mi · 2,980 people · home $345,000
- Lakeport, TX12.8 mi · 976 people · home $123,800
- Hallsville, TX13.0 mi · 4,277 people · home $229,800
- Carthage, TX15.5 mi · 6,569 people · home $164,200
- Marshall, TX18.2 mi · 23,392 people · home $141,400
- Henderson, TX19.6 mi · 13,271 people · home $173,700
- Longview, TX20.0 mi · 81,638 people · home $202,600
Tatum questions
Is Tatum, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tatum scores better for retirees than 60% of Texas towns and quieter than 67%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.5).
How much does a house cost in Tatum?
The median owner-occupied home in Tatum is valued at $195,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,404, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Tatum?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Tatum get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tatum since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 4, 1959. 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)