The Town FilesWharton, Texas
City in Wharton County · population 8,627 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,400
- Household income
- $58,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 35.8
Wharton is a city of 8,627 people in Wharton County, Texas. The median home is worth $149,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Texas towns, hipper than 84% of Texas towns, easier by car than 84% of Texas towns.
How Wharton 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 Wharton is worth $149,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $58,212, which is more affordable than 63% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,051 a month. 54.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wharton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,051 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $58,212 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 54.3% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Wharton
| People | Wharton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Wharton
July highs average 95.3°F and January lows 42.4°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 130 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wharton since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 28, 1966 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 30, 1969.
Severe weather in Wharton County since 1996
Wharton County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 Wharton County
Wharton County had 16,408 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,177 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Wharton itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Wharton
4 public schools with 1,823 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHARTON H S | 9-12 | 584 | 13.6 |
| WHARTON EL | 2-5 | 461 | 17.7 |
| C G SIVELLS EL | PK-1 | 423 | 18.4 |
| WHARTON J H | 6-8 | 355 | 12.2 |
Towns near Wharton
- El Campo, TX13.1 mi · 12,350 people · home $201,400
- Needville, TX16.8 mi · 3,089 people · home $221,700
- Eagle Lake, TX23.1 mi · 3,442 people · home $137,900
- Rosenberg, TX23.3 mi · 38,282 people · home $219,100
- Bay City, TX24.6 mi · 18,061 people · home $160,800
- Weston Lakes, TX25.6 mi · 3,853 people · home $673,600
- Richmond, TX27.5 mi · 11,627 people · home $231,500
- Fulshear, TX29.0 mi · 16,856 people · home $572,700
Wharton questions
Is Wharton, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wharton scores better for retirees than 53% of Texas towns and quieter than 33%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Wharton?
The median owner-occupied home in Wharton is valued at $149,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,212, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,051 a month.
What is the weather like in Wharton?
July highs average 95.3°F and January lows 42.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Wharton get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wharton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 28, 1966. 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)