The Town FilesBowie, Texas
City in Montague County · population 5,448 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,300
- Household income
- $57,488
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 34.4
Bowie is a city of 5,448 people in Montague County, Texas. The median home is worth $174,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 87% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 78% of Texas towns.
How Bowie 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 Bowie is worth $174,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $57,488, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,080 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bowie | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,080 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $57,488 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Bowie
| People | Bowie | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 34.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Bowie
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowie since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 2, 1958 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 116 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 11, 2016.
Severe weather in Montague County since 1996
Montague County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Montague County
Montague County had 4,925 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,325 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bowie itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Bowie
5 public schools with 1,722 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOWIE H S | 9-12 | 493 | 14.1 |
| BOWIE EL | PK-2 | 388 | 13.4 |
| BOWIE J H | 6-8 | 344 | 13.8 |
| BOWIE INT | 3-5 | 342 | 14.3 |
| GOLD BURG SCHOOL | PK-12 | 155 | 10.3 |
Towns near Bowie
- Nocona, TX17.0 mi · 3,002 people · home $122,400
- Bridgeport, TX24.3 mi · 5,923 people · home $253,500
- Henrietta, TX26.7 mi · 3,111 people · home $145,600
- Decatur, TX27.3 mi · 6,538 people · home $284,500
- Jacksboro, TX29.2 mi · 4,184 people · home $259,700
Bowie questions
Is Bowie, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bowie scores better for retirees than 32% of Texas towns and quieter than 46%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.4).
How much does a house cost in Bowie?
The median owner-occupied home in Bowie is valued at $174,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,488, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,080 a month.
What is the weather like in Bowie?
July highs average 93.4°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Bowie get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 2, 1958. 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)