Man erecting sign near Alice, Texas, 1939
Alice’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,136 in 1910, 17,891 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
- 1888Alice is settled
AliceTX
A town of 17,550, settled in 1888.
Population
17,550
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$131K
−10.1% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
35.4
years
Jobs based here
9,298
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#633 of 640 in TX
Is Alice a good place to live?
Alice grades D− overall, 633rd of 640 graded towns in Texas, mostly because of safety and health. Its police reported 80 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 90% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 88% of the country. What it does well: 13% of its land is conserved. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Alice, above both Texas’ towns (12%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
What makes Alice stand out
Where Alice beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Alice grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Alice is from typical.
SafetyDOpen →HealthChristus Spohn Hospital Alice 4.7 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →Jobs & income$49K median household incomeC−Open →Hazard riskcold waves tops the listC−Open →Cost of livingC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 7.6% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsB+Open →History17 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 98° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market112 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.4; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Alice: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alice, and how to reach them.
PowerNueces Electric Cooperative11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Alice water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offCity of Alice Landfill, 4 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJim Wells County Early Voting ClerkJim Wells County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7833278332 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alice.
Alice has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Alice is valued at about $131K
At 2.6 years of the Alice area’s $51K median household income, the typical home (about $131K) costs less against local pay than in 81% of Texas towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living. The typical value, about $131K, is 27% below its January 2021 peak.
The typical Alice home is worth about $131,000, down 10.1% in a year, 56% below the Texas typical home. 58% of households own their home in Alice.
$131KZillow home value
| Alice | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $934 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Alice$131K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
112
days on market
91.7%
sale-to-list price
−10.1%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC−
On state tests, Alice’s schools trail 84% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Alice ISD. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
16%of TX districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 933 | D |
| Alice H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,295 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Alice’s grade for safety is a D
Reported crimes fell from 597 to 461 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Alice’s violent crime rate is 4.6 per 1,000 residents. Alice reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 90% report less. Alice’s property crime rate is 21.7 per 1,000 residents.
10%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Alice | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 21.7 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Alice4.6
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Alice21.7
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
10th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
6th
percentile among TX towns
80
violent crimes reported in 2025
381
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthD
Alice’s grade for health is a D
Against the 5,263 U.S. towns with household incomes like Alice’s, it is less healthy than 67%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
35% of Alice adults say their health is fair or poor. Alice beats the Texas average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 20% of Alice adults have diabetes.
12%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Alice | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 30% | 25% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 18% | 8.1% |
31 measures vs. Texas
2 better11 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Alice | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14% | 17% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.4% | 74.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 35.5% | 19.1% |
Christus Spohn Hospital Alice
4.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
17th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Alice faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
76 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 10 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 76 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Alice.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesHurricanesInland flooding
76
paid flood claims since 1980
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Alice has mild winters and hot summers
The Alice weather station records that about 144 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. January nights average 46.1°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 96.4°.
Alice has warm winters and hot summers. The January low in Alice is 46°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
98°summer high
| Alice | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 46°F | 37°F | 22°F |
| July high | 96°F | 95°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter48–70°
Spring63–84°
Summer74–96°
Fall63–85°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
Alice has set aside 12.6% of its land for conservation
1.5 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves.
#373for trails in TX
12.6%
conserved · 1,007 of 8,025 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Findley Park | — | 19 |
| 2. Anderson Park | — | 14 |
| 3. Mary Garcia Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Alice has 1.2 jobs for every working resident, and 6,541 people commute in
Jobs based here fell from 14,124 in 2013 to 9,298.
About one in 3 of Alice’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Alice has lost 4,826 jobs, to 9,298 in 2023. The top destinations are Corpus Christi (13%), San Antonio (4%) and Houston (4%).
37%work in town
| Alice | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 37% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Alice37%
Corpus Christi13%
San Antonio4%
Houston4%
Kingsville2%
28 mi
median commute distance
9,298
jobs based in Alice
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Alice
19pages on Alice
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 84% of TX districts · 8 schoolsSafetyD4.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TX on 2 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$131K typical home · down 10.1% in a yearWork & commuteC−$49K median household income · 9,298 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 70% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Alice; the nearest are
Texas A&M University-KingsvilleUniversity or college · Public · Kingsville19.5 mi$9,892 in-state tuitionCoastal Bend CollegeCommunity college · Public · Beeville50.6 mi$2,916 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Alice residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
Famous people from Alice
17 notable people were born in Alice.
About Alice
City in Texas, United States
Alice is a city in and the county seat of Jim Wells County, Texas, United States, in the South Texas region of the state. As of the 2020 census, Alice had a population of 17,891. Alice was established in 1888. The city was originally named "Bandana", then "Kleberg", and finally "Alice" after Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg, the daughter of Richard King, who established the King Ranch.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1888
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 202 ft
- ZIP code
- 78332, 78333
- Area code
- 361
Alice’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Alice.
Rancho AlegreAlice
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TX rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice | #633 | D− | C+ | D | C− | D |
| Rancho Alegre | — | — | A+ | — | C− | D− |
Rancho Alegre has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Rancho Alegre reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Alice with a neighbor →
Questions about Alice
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alice, TX a good place to live?
Alice grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #633 of 640 in Texas. It grades D for health, D for safety and C− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Alice, TX expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Alice, TX known for?
17 notable people were born here, including Robert Curl and James P. Allison.