What are the schools like in Early, TX?

Early is served primarily by EARLY ISD. The district operates 2 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.1:1.

What is the median household income in Early?

The median household income in Early, TX is $60,313 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.4%.

What is the weather like in Early, TX?

Early has an average high temperature of 59.5°F in January and 96.5°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 30.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 1.3 inches.

Early, TX Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Early, TX affordable or expensive?

Early's cost of living index is 94, where 100 represents the national average. This means Early is 6% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $156,300 and the median rent is $1,076 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Early, TX?

Early has a violent crime rate of 399.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1260.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Early, TX a Good Place to Live?

Early is a small town of 3,116 in Texas, with a median household income of $60,313 and a 2.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.

Strengths: Early stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Early is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Early city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 94.3

Early's overall cost of living index is 94.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Early costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.

Metric	Early, TX	National Avg
Median Home Value	$156,300	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,076	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	70.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$60,313	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Early's violent crime rate is 399.6 per 100,000 residents — 5% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

399.6 /100k

Property Crime

1260.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Early is served primarily by EARLY ISD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Early, TX	National Avg
School District	EARLY ISD	—
Elementary Schools	2	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	11.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	29.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	92.5%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Early sees average highs of 59.5°F in January and 96.5°F in July, with 30.6 inches of annual precipitation and 1.3 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Early, TX
Average High — January	59.5°F
Average High — July	96.5°F
Annual Precipitation	30.6"
Annual Snowfall	1.3"

Demographics

Metric	Early, TX	National Avg
Population	3,116	—
Median Age	36.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	17.3 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	80.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	10.6%	18.9%
Asian	1.0%	6.3%
Under 18	32.7%	22.2%
65 and over	14.4%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Brownwood, TX 3 mi Zephyr, TX 10 mi Blanket, TX 10 mi Lake Brownwood, TX 11 mi Bangs, TX 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Early

Early, TX is covered by 1 ZIP code:

76802

Early vs Other Cities

Early, TX vs Brownwood, TX Early, TX vs Zephyr, TX Early, TX vs Blanket, TX Early, TX vs Lake Brownwood, TX Early, TX vs Bangs, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Early, TX affordable or expensive?

Early's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average. That makes Early roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $156,300 and median rent is $1,076/month.

What is the crime rate in Early, TX?

Early's violent crime rate is 399.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1260.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Early?

Public schools in Early are operated by EARLY ISD. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1. 29.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Early, TX a good place to live?

Early, TX has a population of 3,116, a median household income of $60,313, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Early?

Early averages 59.5°F in January and 96.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 30.6 inches with about 1.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Early?

Early, TX is covered by 1 ZIP code: 76802.

What is the population of Early?

The population of Early, Texas is 3,116 with a median age of 36.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Early?

Key numbers for living in Early: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $156,300, median household income $60,313, crime index 87 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Early side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.