The Town FilesOdessa, Texas
City in Ector County · population 114,428 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $223,100
- Household income
- $73,472
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 31.1
Odessa is a city of 114,428 people in Ector County, Texas. The median home is worth $223,100, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of Texas towns, better transit than 89% of Texas towns, better for cycling than 87% of Texas towns.
How Odessa 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 Odessa is worth $223,100, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $73,472, which is more affordable than 49% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,315 a month. 59.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Odessa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,100 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,315 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $73,472 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Odessa
| People | Odessa | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.2% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Odessa
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 32.2°F. About 12.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 44 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Odessa since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 20, 2019 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 274 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on June 14, 2017.
Severe weather in Ector County since 1996
Ector County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| April 27, 2011 | Fire | FM-2901: Pleasant Farms Fire |
Jobs and pay in Ector County
Ector County had 79,763 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,029 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Odessa itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Odessa
52 public schools with 36,916 students, about 19.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PERMIAN H S | 9-12 | 4,126 | 19.2 |
| ODESSA H S | 9-12 | 3,769 | 17.1 |
| COMPASS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | K-12 | 1,448 | 16.6 |
| ECTOR COLLEGE PREP SUCCESS ACADEMY (charter) | 6-8 | 1,369 | 45.6 |
| NIMITZ MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,312 | 17.0 |
| WILSON & YOUNG MEDAL OF HONOR MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,193 | 17.0 |
| MURRY FLY EL | PK-5 | 1,089 | 21.4 |
| CROCKETT MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,019 | 15.0 |
| BARBARA JORDAN EL | K-5 | 886 | 20.6 |
| BOWIE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 872 | 13.8 |
| BONHAM MIDDLE | 6-8 | 870 | 14.7 |
| LEE BUICE EL | K-5 | 821 | 19.5 |
Towns near Odessa
- West Odessa, TX9.5 mi · 33,340 people · home $126,300
- Midland, TX16.9 mi · 132,524 people · home $319,200
Odessa questions
Is Odessa, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Odessa scores better for retirees than 10% of Texas towns and quieter than 5%. 10.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Odessa?
The median owner-occupied home in Odessa is valued at $223,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,472, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,315 a month.
What is the weather like in Odessa?
July highs average 94.0°F and January lows 32.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Odessa get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Odessa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 20, 2019. 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)