The Town FilesWells, Texas
Town in Cherokee County · population 853 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $140,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 31.1
Wells is a town of 853 people in Cherokee County, Texas. The median home is worth $140,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 78% of Texas towns.
How Wells 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 Wells is worth $140,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Median rent is $510 a month. 45.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wells | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $140,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $510 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | — | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 45.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wells
| People | Wells | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 31.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 42.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 17.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wells
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 34.7°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 52 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wells since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 6, 2003 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 1997.
Severe weather in Cherokee County since 1996
Cherokee County has been included in 28 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 Cherokee County
Cherokee County had 14,922 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,098 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Wells itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Wells
1 public school with 242 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WELLS SCHOOL | PK-12 | 242 | 10.5 |
Towns near Wells
- Alto, TX13.2 mi · 1,027 people · home $93,800
- Redland, TX14.9 mi · 1,088 people · home $154,300
- Hudson, TX15.3 mi · 4,849 people · home $171,700
- Lufkin, TX17.4 mi · 34,143 people · home $179,600
- Nacogdoches, TX19.3 mi · 32,147 people · home $186,000
- Burke, TX20.7 mi · 691 people · home $141,100
- Cushing, TX23.0 mi · 557 people · home $136,700
- Diboll, TX23.1 mi · 4,457 people · home $89,100
Wells questions
Is Wells, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wells scores better for retirees than 44% of Texas towns and quieter than 45%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Wells?
The median owner-occupied home in Wells is valued at $140,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $510 a month.
What is the weather like in Wells?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 34.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Wells get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wells since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 6, 2003. 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)