The Town FilesWichita Falls, Texas
City in Wichita County · population 102,316 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,800
- Household income
- $60,177
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 33.8
Wichita Falls is a city of 102,316 people in Wichita County, Texas. The median home is worth $156,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of Texas towns, more walkable than 88% of Texas towns, hipper than 88% of Texas towns.
How Wichita Falls 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 Wichita Falls is worth $156,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $60,177, which is more affordable than 63% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,022 a month. 56.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wichita Falls | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,022 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $60,177 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 56.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Wichita Falls
| People | Wichita Falls | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 14.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wichita Falls
July highs average 97.2°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 27.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 105 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wichita Falls since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1964 about 1.6 miles from the town center and killed 7. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 51 deaths and 1,885 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 30, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 270 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 17, 1963.
Severe weather in Wichita County since 1996
Wichita County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 10, 2021 | Fire | FM-5420: County Line Fire |
| 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 Wichita County
Wichita County had 53,210 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,232 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Wichita Falls itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Wichita Falls
34 public schools with 14,592 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIDER H S | 9-12 | 1,569 | 18.0 |
| WICHITA FALLS H S | 9-12 | 1,243 | 17.3 |
| BARWISE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,102 | 16.0 |
| MCNIEL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,043 | 15.8 |
| HIRSCHI H S | 8-12 | 770 | 14.3 |
| CITY VIEW JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH | 6-12 | 638 | 11.2 |
| ZUNDELOWITZ EL | K-5 | 556 | 14.6 |
| SOUTHERN HILLS EL | PK-5 | 552 | 15.3 |
| CITY VIEW EL | PK-5 | 531 | 13.3 |
| SCOTLAND PARK EL | PK-5 | 519 | 14.0 |
| FOWLER EL | PK-5 | 507 | 14.9 |
| FAIN EL | PK-5 | 475 | 14.8 |
Towns near Wichita Falls
- Lakeside City, TX5.4 mi · 1,082 people · home $268,300
- Iowa Park, TX9.7 mi · 6,535 people · home $132,800
- Holliday, TX11.4 mi · 1,524 people · home $181,300
- Burkburnett, TX11.9 mi · 10,939 people · home $151,900
- Petrolia, TX18.4 mi · 514 people · home $95,600
- Henrietta, TX20.1 mi · 3,111 people · home $145,600
- Archer City, TX22.5 mi · 1,601 people · home $138,900
- Electra, TX24.2 mi · 2,292 people · home $59,300
Wichita Falls questions
Is Wichita Falls, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wichita Falls scores better for retirees than 30% of Texas towns and quieter than 16%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Wichita Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Wichita Falls is valued at $156,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,177, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,022 a month.
What is the weather like in Wichita Falls?
July highs average 97.2°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.9 inches of precipitation a year and 3.1 inches of snow.
Does Wichita Falls get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wichita Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1964. 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)