The Town FilesSweetwater, Texas
City in Nolan County · population 10,622 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,800
- Household income
- $44,892
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 37.1
Sweetwater is a city of 10,622 people in Nolan County, Texas. The median home is worth $80,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more walkable than 96% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 87% of Texas towns, hipper than 86% of Texas towns.
How Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater is worth $80,800, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $44,892, which is more affordable than 86% of Texas towns. Median rent is $907 a month. 59.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sweetwater | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,800 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $907 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $44,892 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 59.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sweetwater
| People | Sweetwater | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Sweetwater
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 21.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.3 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sweetwater since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1986 about 0.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 100 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 25, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 122 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Nolan County since 1996
Nolan County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| February 25, 2019 | Flood | DR-4416: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Nolan County
Nolan County had 6,222 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,897 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Sweetwater itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Sweetwater
6 public schools with 1,850 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWEETWATER H S | 9-12 | 523 | 12.5 |
| SWEETWATER MIDDLE | 6-8 | 423 | 13.6 |
| SWEETWATER INT | 3-5 | 368 | 13.1 |
| SOUTHEAST EL | PK-K | 243 | 15.2 |
| EAST RIDGE EL | 1-2 | 224 | 11.8 |
| SOUTHEAST EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | PK-PK | 69 | — |
Towns near Sweetwater
- Colorado City, TX26.7 mi · 3,991 people · home $69,500
Sweetwater questions
Is Sweetwater, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sweetwater scores better for retirees than 43% of Texas towns and quieter than 21%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Sweetwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Sweetwater is valued at $80,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,892, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $907 a month.
What is the weather like in Sweetwater?
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.2 inches of precipitation a year and 2.3 inches of snow.
Does Sweetwater get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sweetwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1986. 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)