The Town FilesEarly, Texas
City in Brown County · population 3,087 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $179,800
- Household income
- $67,346
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 36.5
Early is a city of 3,087 people in Brown County, Texas. The median home is worth $179,800, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Texas towns, easier by car than 88% of Texas towns, hipper than 86% of Texas towns.
How Early 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 Early is worth $179,800, close to the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $67,346, which is more affordable than 59% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,227 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Early | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,227 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $67,346 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Early
| People | Early | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Early
July highs average 96.5°F and January lows 31.7°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 116 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 55 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Early since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 19, 1976 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 112 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on October 13, 1960.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 25 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 Brown County
Brown County had 15,850 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,140 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Early itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Early
5 public schools with 1,175 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EARLY H S | 9-12 | 365 | 11.4 |
| EARLY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 258 | 12.9 |
| EARLY PRI | PK-2 | 247 | 11.8 |
| EARLY EL | 3-5 | 239 | 10.4 |
| PREMIER H S OF COMANCHE/EARLY (charter) | 9-12 | 66 | 22.0 |
Towns near Early
- Brownwood, TX3.1 mi · 18,862 people · home $144,400
- Comanche, TX22.4 mi · 4,211 people · home $125,700
- Coleman, TX29.2 mi · 3,912 people · home $71,900
Early questions
Is Early, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Early scores better for retirees than 68% of Texas towns and quieter than 59%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Early?
The median owner-occupied home in Early is valued at $179,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,346, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,227 a month.
What is the weather like in Early?
July highs average 96.5°F and January lows 31.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Early get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Early since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 19, 1976. 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)