The Town FilesCactus, Texas
City in Moore County · population 3,057 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $82,200
- Household income
- $45,346
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 30.5
Cactus is a city of 3,057 people in Moore County, Texas. The median home is worth $82,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better transit than 94% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 82% of Texas towns, easier by car than 70% of Texas towns.
How Cactus 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 Cactus is worth $82,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $45,346, which is more affordable than 86% of Texas towns. Median rent is $816 a month. 33.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cactus | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $816 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $45,346 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 33.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cactus
| People | Cactus | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 35.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 63.4% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 62.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Cactus
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 22.1°F. About 17.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.8 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cactus since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 21, 2007 about 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 14, 1967.
Severe weather in Moore County since 1996
Moore County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 27, 2024 | Fire | FM-5487: Windy Deuce 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 Moore County
Moore County had 12,767 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,175 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Cactus itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Cactus
1 public school with 473 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CACTUS EL | PK-4 | 473 | 14.8 |
Towns near Cactus
- Dumas, TX12.8 mi · 14,501 people · home $156,300
- Dalhart, TX28.2 mi · 8,447 people · home $161,600
Cactus questions
Is Cactus, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cactus scores better for retirees than 7% of Texas towns and quieter than 19%. 6.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.5).
How much does a house cost in Cactus?
The median owner-occupied home in Cactus is valued at $82,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,346, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $816 a month.
What is the weather like in Cactus?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 22.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.7 inches of precipitation a year and 10.8 inches of snow.
Does Cactus get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cactus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 21, 2007. 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)