The Town FilesThunderbird Bay, Texas
Community in Brown County · population 764 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $65,700
- Household income
- $48,350
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 45.8
Thunderbird Bay is a community of 764 people in Brown County, Texas. The median home is worth $65,700, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Texas towns, quieter than 98% of Texas towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Texas
- #2 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America
- #2 in The 50 Best Quiet, Affordable Places to Retire in America
- #2 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Texas
- #14 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America With Mild Winters
- #14 in The 50 Best Affordable Places to Retire in America With Mild Winters
How Thunderbird Bay 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 Thunderbird Bay is worth $65,700, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $48,350, which is more affordable than 95% of Texas towns. 69.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thunderbird Bay | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $65,700 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $48,350 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 69.2% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 49.1% | — |
Who lives in Thunderbird Bay
| People | Thunderbird Bay | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 14.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 13.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 23.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Thunderbird Bay
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 30.6°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thunderbird Bay since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 19, 1976 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 7, 2015.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Brown County
Brown County had 15,850 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,140 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Thunderbird Bay itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Towns near Thunderbird Bay
- Lake Brownwood, TX8.1 mi · 1,462 people · home $130,700
- Early, TX12.6 mi · 3,087 people · home $179,800
- Rising Star, TX13.4 mi · 756 people · home $39,500
- Brownwood, TX13.8 mi · 18,862 people · home $144,400
- Bangs, TX14.8 mi · 1,540 people · home $111,600
- Cross Plains, TX17.3 mi · 899 people · home $79,500
- Santa Anna, TX21.5 mi · 1,014 people · home $58,100
- Coleman, TX24.2 mi · 3,912 people · home $71,900
Thunderbird Bay questions
Is Thunderbird Bay, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thunderbird Bay scores better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns and quieter than 98%. 23.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Thunderbird Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Thunderbird Bay is valued at $65,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,350, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Thunderbird Bay?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 30.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Thunderbird Bay get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thunderbird Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 19, 1976. 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)