The Town FilesZavalla, Texas
City in Angelina County · population 603 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $74,000
- Household income
- $53,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 41.7
Zavalla is a city of 603 people in Angelina County, Texas. The median home is worth $74,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 96% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Texas towns.
How Zavalla 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 Zavalla is worth $74,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $53,333, which is more affordable than 95% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,031 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Zavalla | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $74,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,031 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $53,333 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.6% | — |
Who lives in Zavalla
| People | Zavalla | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Zavalla
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 41.0°F. About 60.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 94 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 30 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zavalla since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 10, 1983 about 4.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 20, 2003.
Severe weather in Angelina County since 1996
Angelina County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Angelina County
Angelina County had 35,756 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Zavalla itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Zavalla
2 public schools with 320 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZAVALLA EL | PK-5 | 165 | 9.7 |
| ZAVALLA H S | 6-12 | 155 | 9.7 |
Towns near Zavalla
- Huntington, TX12.6 mi · 2,025 people · home $108,800
- Colmesneil, TX17.2 mi · 542 people · home $119,900
- Burke, TX21.1 mi · 691 people · home $141,100
- Lufkin, TX21.6 mi · 34,143 people · home $179,600
- Diboll, TX21.6 mi · 4,457 people · home $89,100
- Sam Rayburn, TX23.9 mi · 1,273 people · home $255,200
- Hudson, TX24.3 mi · 4,849 people · home $171,700
- Redland, TX24.5 mi · 1,088 people · home $154,300
Zavalla questions
Is Zavalla, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Zavalla scores better for retirees than 15% of Texas towns and quieter than 96%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Zavalla?
The median owner-occupied home in Zavalla is valued at $74,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,333, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $1,031 a month.
What is the weather like in Zavalla?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 41.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Zavalla get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zavalla since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 10, 1983. 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)