The Town FilesRefugio, Texas
Town in Refugio County · population 2,712 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $94,800
- Household income
- $48,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.6
Refugio is a town of 2,712 people in Refugio County, Texas. The median home is worth $94,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks quieter than 70% of Texas towns.
How Refugio 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 Refugio is worth $94,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $48,750, which is more affordable than 83% of Texas towns. Median rent is $747 a month. 58.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Refugio | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $94,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $747 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $48,750 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 58.9% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Refugio
| People | Refugio | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Refugio
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 44.8°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 110 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Refugio since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 18, 1965 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 28, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 6, 2019.
Severe weather in Refugio County since 1996
Refugio County has been included in 28 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 |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| July 26, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3530: Hurricane Hanna |
Jobs and pay in Refugio County
Refugio County had 2,263 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,440 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Refugio itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Refugio
3 public schools with 685 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| REFUGIO EL | PK-5 | 316 | 14.4 |
| REFUGIO H S | 9-12 | 218 | 12.1 |
| REFUGIO J H | 6-8 | 151 | 12.6 |
Towns near Refugio
- Rockport, TX22.6 mi · 10,070 people · home $320,500
- Sinton, TX23.2 mi · 5,504 people · home $142,000
- Taft, TX23.7 mi · 2,801 people · home $124,200
- Aransas Pass, TX29.1 mi · 7,941 people · home $235,500
- Portland, TX29.1 mi · 20,383 people · home $234,800
- Beeville, TX29.6 mi · 13,669 people · home $94,700
Refugio questions
Is Refugio, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Refugio scores better for retirees than 66% of Texas towns and quieter than 70%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Refugio?
The median owner-occupied home in Refugio is valued at $94,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,750, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $747 a month.
What is the weather like in Refugio?
July highs average 93.5°F and January lows 44.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Refugio get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Refugio since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 18, 1965. 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)