The Town FilesKilgore, Texas
City in Gregg County · population 13,376 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $171,600
- Household income
- $66,295
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 35.3
Kilgore is a city of 13,376 people in Gregg County, Texas. The median home is worth $171,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 75% of Texas towns, hipper than 73% of Texas towns, better transit than 73% of Texas towns.
How Kilgore 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 Kilgore is worth $171,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $66,295, which is more affordable than 63% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,010 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kilgore | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,010 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $66,295 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Kilgore
| People | Kilgore | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Kilgore
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 36.7°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 35 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kilgore since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 3, 1970 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 105 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on January 6, 1998.
Severe weather in Gregg County since 1996
Gregg County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Gregg County
Gregg County had 74,876 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,579 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Kilgore itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Kilgore
6 public schools with 4,474 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KILGORE H S | 9-12 | 1,168 | 13.9 |
| KILGORE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 861 | 15.1 |
| SABINE EL | PK-5 | 749 | 15.3 |
| KILGORE PRI | PK-1 | 657 | 13.7 |
| CHANDLER EL | 2-3 | 527 | 13.2 |
| KILGORE INT | 4-5 | 512 | 12.8 |
Towns near Kilgore
- Liberty City, TX6.2 mi · 2,721 people · home $200,000
- White Oak, TX9.2 mi · 6,225 people · home $235,000
- Longview, TX10.3 mi · 81,638 people · home $202,600
- Gladewater, TX11.3 mi · 6,134 people · home $174,000
- Lake Cherokee, TX12.5 mi · 2,980 people · home $345,000
- Henderson, TX17.0 mi · 13,271 people · home $173,700
- Hallsville, TX18.5 mi · 4,277 people · home $229,800
- Gilmer, TX23.7 mi · 4,843 people · home $166,700
Kilgore questions
Is Kilgore, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kilgore scores better for retirees than 22% of Texas towns and quieter than 37%. 11.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Kilgore?
The median owner-occupied home in Kilgore is valued at $171,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,295, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,010 a month.
What is the weather like in Kilgore?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 36.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Kilgore get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kilgore since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 3, 1970. 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)