Median Income
$55,584
household / year
Median Home Value
$128,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$949
gross / month
Cost of Living
89
national avg = 100

Is Wichita Falls, TX a Good Place to Live?

Wichita Falls is a mid-sized city of 102,482 in Texas, with a median household income of $55,584 and a 4.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is 11% below the national average.

Strengths: Wichita Falls stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Wichita Falls 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: 88.9

Wichita Falls's overall cost of living index is 88.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Wichita Falls costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.

Metric Wichita Falls, TX National Avg
Median Home Value $128,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $949 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 56.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,584 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Wichita Falls's violent crime rate is 350.3 per 100,000 residents — 8% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
350.3 /100k
Property Crime
2618.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Wichita Falls is served primarily by WICHITA FALLS ISD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Wichita Falls, TX National Avg
School District WICHITA FALLS ISD —
Elementary Schools 14 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 86.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Wichita Falls sees average highs of 54.7°F in January and 97.2°F in July, with 27.9 inches of annual precipitation and 3.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricWichita Falls, TX
Average High — January54.7°F
Average High — July97.2°F
Annual Precipitation27.9"
Annual Snowfall3.1"

Demographics

MetricWichita Falls, TXNational Avg
Population102,482—
Median Age32.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time14.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)72.3%59.3%
Black or African American12.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino8.2%18.9%
Asian2.7%6.3%
Under 1822.8%22.2%
65 and over14.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Pleasant Valley, TX 5 mi Lakeside City, TX 5 mi Dean, TX 7 mi Cashion Community, TX 9 mi Iowa Park, TX 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Wichita Falls

Wichita Falls, TX is covered by 8 ZIP codes:

76306 76310 76301 76302 76305 76308 76309 76311

Wichita Falls vs Other Cities

Wichita Falls, TX vs Pleasant Valley, TX Wichita Falls, TX vs Lakeside City, TX Wichita Falls, TX vs Dean, TX Wichita Falls, TX vs Cashion Community, TX Wichita Falls, TX vs Iowa Park, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Wichita Falls's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average. That makes Wichita Falls roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $128,800 and median rent is $949/month.
Wichita Falls's violent crime rate is 350.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2618.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Wichita Falls are operated by WICHITA FALLS ISD. The district has 14 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.1:1. 24.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Wichita Falls, TX has a population of 102,482, a median household income of $55,584, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. 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.
Wichita Falls averages 54.7°F in January and 97.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 27.9 inches with about 3.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wichita Falls, TX is covered by 8 ZIP codes: 76306, 76310, 76301, 76302, 76305, 76308, 76309, 76311.
The population of Wichita Falls, Texas is 102,482 with a median age of 32.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wichita Falls: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $128,800, median household income $55,584, crime index 105 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wichita Falls side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.