The Town FilesValley Mills, Texas
City in Bosque County · population 1,229 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $176,200
- Household income
- $51,607
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 31.7
Valley Mills is a city of 1,229 people in Bosque County, Texas. The median home is worth $176,200, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 87% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 70% of Texas towns.
How Valley Mills 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 Valley Mills is worth $176,200, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $51,607, which is more affordable than 32% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,172 a month. 69.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Valley Mills | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,172 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $51,607 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 69.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Valley Mills
| People | Valley Mills | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 33.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Valley Mills
July highs average 96.7°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 115 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 34 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valley Mills since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on May 6, 1973 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 26, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 26, 2023.
Severe weather in Bosque County since 1996
Bosque County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2026 | Fire | FM-5677: Hydra Fire |
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 7, 2022 | Fire | FM-5443: Hard Castle Fire |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Bosque County
Bosque County had 4,077 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,213 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Valley Mills itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Valley Mills
3 public schools with 681 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALLEY MILLS EL | PK-5 | 328 | 13.1 |
| VALLEY MILLS H S | 9-12 | 206 | 9.8 |
| VALLEY MILLS J H | 6-8 | 147 | 13.4 |
Towns near Valley Mills
- Crawford, TX8.4 mi · 887 people · home $238,600
- China Spring, TX9.9 mi · 1,436 people · home $248,400
- Clifton, TX10.9 mi · 3,465 people · home $160,000
- Willow Grove, TX12.4 mi · 2,082 people · home $269,600
- Gholson, TX14.2 mi · 1,250 people · home $148,800
- Laguna Park, TX15.3 mi · 1,372 people · home $206,300
- McGregor, TX16.6 mi · 5,321 people · home $221,700
- Woodway, TX18.0 mi · 9,383 people · home $370,500
Valley Mills questions
Is Valley Mills, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Valley Mills scores better for retirees than 41% of Texas towns and quieter than 49%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.7).
How much does a house cost in Valley Mills?
The median owner-occupied home in Valley Mills is valued at $176,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,607, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,172 a month.
What is the weather like in Valley Mills?
July highs average 96.7°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Valley Mills get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valley Mills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on May 6, 1973. 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)