Places › Texas › Wichita Falls

Living in Wichita Falls, TX

Mid-size city in Texas

Wichita Falls is a mid-size city in Texas, home to about 103,000 people, with 135,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Wichita Falls a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $179k and rents for $1,550 a month
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.9× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Smaller job market: about 135,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer graduates: 25% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Wichita Falls ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
103,000
135,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
57°F / 95°F
Average daily highs · 3″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$179k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,550/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
90
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 1.79% property tax
Safety
0.9× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
6 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, tornadoes
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
25%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
DFW
111 mi away

Living in Wichita Falls: common questions

What is the cost of living in Wichita Falls?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $179k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,550 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Wichita Falls?

Texas has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 1.79% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Wichita Falls safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Wichita Falls?

Wichita Falls has mild winters: winter days average around 57°F and summer days around 95°F, with roughly 3″ of snow a year.

Does Wichita Falls get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.66 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Wichita Falls?

The nearest major airport is DFW, about 111 mi away.

How Wichita Falls scores

Each bar compares Wichita Falls with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Poor
✈️Airport Average

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Is Wichita Falls right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.