The Town FilesGalveston, Texas
City in Galveston County · population 53,695 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $326,000
- Household income
- $55,631
- Jan low / Jul high
- 49° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 41.5
Galveston is a city of 53,695 people in Galveston County, Texas. The median home is worth $326,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Texas towns, hipper than 99% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 99% of Texas towns.
How Galveston 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 Galveston is worth $326,000, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $55,631, which is more affordable than 3% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,298 a month. 46.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Galveston | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $326,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,298 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $55,631 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 46.2% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.0% | — |
Who lives in Galveston
| People | Galveston | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Galveston
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 48.9°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galveston since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 12, 1961 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 25, 2015.
Severe weather in Galveston County since 1996
Galveston County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| 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 |
| December 9, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4572: Hurricane Laura |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Galveston County
Galveston County had 122,734 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,650 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Galveston itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Galveston
13 public schools with 7,300 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALL H S | 9-12 | 1,951 | 16.5 |
| ODYSSEY ACADEMY - GALVESTON (charter) | PK-12 | 829 | 15.6 |
| CENTRAL MIDDLE | 7-8 | 826 | 13.5 |
| OPPE EL | PK-4 | 624 | 14.5 |
| MORGAN EL MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-4 | 572 | 13.6 |
| BURNET EL | PK-4 | 556 | 15.4 |
| PARKER EL | PK-4 | 440 | 12.2 |
| WEIS | 5-5 | 405 | 15.0 |
| AUSTIN MIDDLE | 5-6 | 392 | 12.3 |
| ROSENBERG EL LABORATORY FOR LEARNING AND LEADING | PK-4 | 315 | 12.1 |
| AMBASSADORS PREPARATORY ACADEMY (charter) | PK-8 | 162 | 9.5 |
| MOODY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER (charter) | PK-PK | 141 | 10.8 |
Towns near Galveston
- Hitchcock, TX7.1 mi · 7,301 people · home $188,300
- La Marque, TX12.8 mi · 18,030 people · home $206,900
- Santa Fe, TX16.1 mi · 12,735 people · home $325,800
- Texas City, TX17.7 mi · 51,898 people · home $217,300
- Dickinson, TX19.1 mi · 20,847 people · home $278,000
- San Leon, TX21.1 mi · 6,135 people · home $183,100
- Bacliff, TX22.3 mi · 9,677 people · home $201,500
- Alvin, TX22.7 mi · 27,098 people · home $228,700
Galveston questions
Is Galveston, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Galveston scores better for retirees than 36% of Texas towns and quieter than 4%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Galveston?
The median owner-occupied home in Galveston is valued at $326,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,631, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $1,298 a month.
What is the weather like in Galveston?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 48.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Galveston get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Galveston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 12, 1961. 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)