The Town FilesTaft, Texas
City in San Patricio County · population 2,801 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,200
- Household income
- $73,032
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 30.9
Taft is a city of 2,801 people in San Patricio County, Texas. The median home is worth $124,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Texas towns, easier by car than 80% of Texas towns.
How Taft 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 Taft is worth $124,200, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $73,032, which is more affordable than 88% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,179 a month. 69.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Taft | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,200 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,179 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $73,032 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 69.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Taft
| People | Taft | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 35.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Taft
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.7°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 113 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 8 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Taft since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 22, 1954 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on November 1, 2025.
Severe weather in San Patricio County since 1996
San Patricio County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 4, 2025 | Fire | FM-5552: Welder Fire |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in San Patricio County
San Patricio County had 21,522 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,090 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Taft itself the ACS puts it at 9.1%.
Public schools in Taft
4 public schools with 899 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WOODROE PETTY EL | PK-5 | 387 | 15.5 |
| TAFT H S | 9-12 | 258 | 11.7 |
| RICARDO L TREVINO J H | 6-8 | 191 | 12.7 |
| COASTAL HORIZONS ACADEMY (charter) | 7-12 | 63 | 21.0 |
Towns near Taft
- Portland, TX7.3 mi · 20,383 people · home $234,800
- Sinton, TX7.7 mi · 5,504 people · home $142,000
- Ingleside, TX13.6 mi · 9,519 people · home $189,200
- Aransas Pass, TX18.2 mi · 7,941 people · home $235,500
- Corpus Christi, TX20.6 mi · 317,863 people · home $210,400
- Robstown, TX21.2 mi · 10,143 people · home $103,000
- Rockport, TX21.4 mi · 10,070 people · home $320,500
- Port Aransas, TX21.7 mi · 2,904 people · home $588,700
Taft questions
Is Taft, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Taft scores better for retirees than 52% of Texas towns and quieter than 36%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Taft?
The median owner-occupied home in Taft is valued at $124,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,032, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $1,179 a month.
What is the weather like in Taft?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Taft get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Taft since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 22, 1954. 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)