The Town FilesHempstead, Texas
City in Waller County · population 5,430 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,700
- Household income
- $60,041
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 26.3
Hempstead is a city of 5,430 people in Waller County, Texas. The median home is worth $160,700, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Texas towns, easier by car than 73% of Texas towns.
How Hempstead 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 Hempstead is worth $160,700, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $60,041, which is more affordable than 59% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,234 a month. 38.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hempstead | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,700 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,234 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $60,041 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 38.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hempstead
| People | Hempstead | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.6% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hempstead
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 40.9°F. About 43.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 108 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 14 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hempstead since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 14, 1957 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 19, 2015.
Severe weather in Waller County since 1996
Waller County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Waller County
Waller County had 26,681 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,149 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Hempstead itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Hempstead
5 public schools with 2,354 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEMPSTEAD EL | PK-5 | 812 | 18.5 |
| H T JONES EL | PK-5 | 760 | 13.8 |
| HEMPSTEAD H S | 9-12 | 447 | 12.1 |
| HEMPSTEAD MIDDLE | 6-8 | 323 | 12.9 |
| SAFE HAVEN (charter) | 6-11 | 12 | 6.0 |
Towns near Hempstead
- Prairie View, TX6.1 mi · 8,184 people · home $167,600
- Waller, TX8.9 mi · 2,682 people · home $156,900
- Bellville, TX15.3 mi · 4,206 people · home $284,400
- Brenham, TX19.5 mi · 17,369 people · home $241,100
- Navasota, TX19.7 mi · 7,643 people · home $208,100
- Pinehurst, TX23.1 mi · 5,195 people · home $271,600
- Brookshire, TX23.3 mi · 5,066 people · home $159,300
- Sealy, TX23.9 mi · 6,839 people · home $261,100
Hempstead questions
Is Hempstead, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hempstead scores better for retirees than 19% of Texas towns and quieter than 35%. 7.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.3).
How much does a house cost in Hempstead?
The median owner-occupied home in Hempstead is valued at $160,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,041, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,234 a month.
What is the weather like in Hempstead?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 40.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Hempstead get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hempstead since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 14, 1957. 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)