The Town FilesWheeler, Texas
City in Wheeler County · population 1,487 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,000
- Household income
- $56,346
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 37.8
Wheeler is a city of 1,487 people in Wheeler County, Texas. The median home is worth $159,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns, quieter than 88% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Texas towns.
How Wheeler 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 Wheeler is worth $159,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $56,346, which is more affordable than 56% of Texas towns. Median rent is $994 a month. 71.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wheeler | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $994 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $56,346 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 71.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Wheeler
| People | Wheeler | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 28.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.8% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 17.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wheeler
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 25.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 82 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 97 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wheeler since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 8, 1995 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 110 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 29, 2018.
Severe weather in Wheeler County since 1996
Wheeler County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4255: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wheeler County
Wheeler County had 1,719 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,382 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Wheeler itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Wheeler
2 public schools with 526 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHEELER SCHOOL | PK-12 | 386 | 9.4 |
| KELTON ISD | PK-12 | 140 | 9.3 |
Towns near Wheeler
- Shamrock, TX15.7 mi · 1,789 people · home $91,000
- McLean, TX23.3 mi · 665 people · home $76,000
- Miami, TX26.9 mi · 539 people · home $122,500
- Erick, OK27.7 mi · 1,000 people · home $82,300
Wheeler questions
Is Wheeler, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wheeler scores better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns and quieter than 88%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Wheeler?
The median owner-occupied home in Wheeler is valued at $159,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,346, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $994 a month.
What is the weather like in Wheeler?
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.3 inches of precipitation a year and 4.1 inches of snow.
Does Wheeler get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wheeler since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 8, 1995. 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)