The Town FilesFerris, Texas
City in Ellis County · population 2,788 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $261,800
- Household income
- $89,722
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 29.3
Ferris is a city of 2,788 people in Ellis County, Texas. The median home is worth $261,800, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 72% of Texas towns, more walkable than 71% of Texas towns.
How Ferris 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 Ferris is worth $261,800, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $89,722, which is more affordable than 53% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,295 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ferris | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $261,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,295 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $89,722 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Ferris
| People | Ferris | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.8% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 36.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Ferris
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 35.6°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ferris since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 25, 1994 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 59 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 20, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 74 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 22, 1961.
Severe weather in Ellis County since 1996
Ellis County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Ellis County
Ellis County had 62,721 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,911 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Ferris itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Ferris
5 public schools with 2,875 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FERRIS H S | 9-12 | 888 | 13.5 |
| LUCY MAE MCDONALD EL | 1-5 | 662 | 13.8 |
| FERRIS J H | 6-8 | 606 | 11.7 |
| LEE LONGINO EL | 1-5 | 396 | 12.8 |
| HAZEL INGRAM EL | PK-K | 323 | 14.0 |
Towns near Ferris
- Wilmer, TX4.2 mi · 4,974 people · home $157,200
- Red Oak, TX6.6 mi · 14,222 people · home $366,100
- Lancaster, TX7.0 mi · 41,275 people · home $246,300
- Hutchins, TX7.6 mi · 5,607 people · home $235,200
- Glenn Heights, TX10.5 mi · 15,819 people · home $309,600
- Seagoville, TX11.1 mi · 18,446 people · home $230,400
- DeSoto, TX11.7 mi · 56,145 people · home $319,400
- Ovilla, TX12.1 mi · 4,304 people · home $446,700
Ferris questions
Is Ferris, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ferris scores better for retirees than 20% of Texas towns and quieter than 40%. 8.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Ferris?
The median owner-occupied home in Ferris is valued at $261,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,722, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,295 a month.
What is the weather like in Ferris?
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 35.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ferris get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ferris since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 25, 1994. 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)