The Town FilesVan, Texas
City in Van Zandt County · population 2,664 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $169,900
- Household income
- $69,155
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 36.3
Van is a city of 2,664 people in Van Zandt County, Texas. The median home is worth $169,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Texas towns, easier by car than 78% of Texas towns, better for families than 73% of Texas towns.
How Van 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 Van is worth $169,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $69,155, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,220 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Van | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $169,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,220 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $69,155 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in Van
| People | Van | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.9% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 20.1% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Van
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 32.7°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 52 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Van since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 10, 2015 about 0.5 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 44 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 14, 2023.
Severe weather in Van Zandt County since 1996
Van Zandt County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County had 12,815 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,624 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Van itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Van
4 public schools with 2,351 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| VAN MIDDLE | 2-6 | 833 | 14.6 |
| VAN H S | 9-12 | 779 | 14.7 |
| VAN J H | 7-8 | 370 | 15.4 |
| RHODES EL | PK-1 | 369 | 16.0 |
Towns near Van
- Hideaway, TX10.7 mi · 3,201 people · home $335,100
- Grand Saline, TX11.5 mi · 3,107 people · home $119,600
- Mineola, TX12.8 mi · 4,823 people · home $215,700
- Canton, TX13.3 mi · 4,229 people · home $219,900
- Lindale, TX13.6 mi · 6,059 people · home $272,800
- Chandler, TX17.8 mi · 3,275 people · home $246,300
- Tyler, TX24.0 mi · 105,995 people · home $235,300
- Athens, TX24.9 mi · 12,857 people · home $210,800
Van questions
Is Van, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Van scores better for retirees than 36% of Texas towns and quieter than 28%. 12.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Van?
The median owner-occupied home in Van is valued at $169,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,155, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,220 a month.
What is the weather like in Van?
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 32.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Van get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Van since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 10, 2015. 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)