El Campo TX - 1912, 1912
El Campo’s story
136 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,778 in 1910, 12,350 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 3 maps from 1965 on.
- 1890El Campo is settled
Photo: Djmaschek · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
12,142
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$223K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
33.7
years
Jobs based here
5,290
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#597 of 640 in TX
Is El Campo a good place to live?
El Campo earns a D−, ranked 597th of 640 in Texas, mostly because of incomes and safety. The median household income is $67K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line. It reports more crime per resident than 84% of U.S. towns, including 47 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. What it does well: 3% of its land is conserved. On hazard risk, just 45 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do worse. Legacy Park, at 61 acres with 1.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
What makes El Campo stand out
Where El Campo beats most towns.
How El Campo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far El Campo is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →SafetyC−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthEl Campo Memorial Hospital 1.7 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 6.4% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trailsBOpen →History15 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 95° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market192 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.7; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to El Campo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in El Campo, and how to reach them.
PowerJackson Electric Coop14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of El Campo water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
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 hereWharton County Early Voting ClerkWharton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7743777437 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 El Campo.
El Campo has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and trades workers with Houston and other neighbors, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Texas (mostly hurricanes).
SafetyC−
For safety, El Campo earns a C−
Reported crimes fell from 392 to 243 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
At 3.9 per 1,000 residents, El Campo’s violent crime rate is above both Texas’ towns (1.9) and U.S. towns (1.6). The property crime rate in El Campo is 16.2 per 1,000 residents. El Campo reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 84% report less.
16%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 16.2 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
El Campo3.9
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
El Campo16.2
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
16th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
15th
percentile among TX towns
47
violent crimes reported in 2025
196
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB−
El Campo’s schools rank ahead of 54% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by El Campo ISD. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
54%of TX districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Campo MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 707 | B− |
| El Campo H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,002 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsB
El Campo has set aside 2.8% of its land for conservation
3.8 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves.
#210for trails in TX
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.8% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.8%
conserved · 166 of 5,893 acres
3.8 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Legacy Park | 1.5 mi | 61 |
| 2. Friendship Park | 0.8 mi | 26 |
| 3. Northside Park | — | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in El Campo, with hurricanes at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of Texas towns, with expected losses of about $238 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on. 155 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 11 properties have flooded more than once.
At 83 of 100, El Campo’s FEMA risk score is where Texas’ towns sit at 47 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100. Since 1979, 155 flood insurance claims have been paid out in El Campo.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesCold wavesInland flooding
155
paid flood claims since 1979
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
Residents of El Campo are less healthy than 72% of U.S. towns
El Campo beats the Texas average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 24% of El Campo adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
28%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 24% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Texas
0 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | El Campo | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.3% | 12.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 24% | 19.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24.1% | 19.3% |
El Campo Memorial Hospital
1.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
41st
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C−
El Campo’s typical home value is about $223K
64.8% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 51.7% across Texas.
The typical El Campo home is worth about $223,000, up 1.3% in a year, 25% below the Texas typical home. 60% of households own their home in El Campo.
$223KZillow home value
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,071 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
El Campo$223K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
192
days on market
98.9%
sale-to-list price
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
El Campo has mild winters and hot summers
The Danevang 1 W weather station, 10 miles away, records that about 105 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. January nights average 43.7°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 93.7°.
El Campo has warm winters and hot summers. El Campo’s January low is 44°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
95°summer high
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 44°F | 37°F | 22°F |
| July high | 94°F | 95°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter46–66°
Spring60–80°
Summer74–93°
Fall61–83°
Dec 5
typical first frost
Feb 23
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in four working residents works right in El Campo
El Campo has about as many jobs (5,290) as working residents, but only 1,618 people both live and work here.
About one in 4 of El Campo’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, El Campo has added 572 jobs, to 5,290 in 2023. The top destinations are Houston (16%), Wharton (4%) and Victoria (2%).
26%work in town
| El Campo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In El Campo26%
Houston16%
Wharton4%
Victoria2%
Austin2%
42 mi
median commute distance
5,290
jobs based in El Campo
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 50% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about El Campo
20pages on El Campo
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of TX districts · 7 schoolsSafetyC−3.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than TX on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$223K typical home · up 1.3% in a yearWork & commuteC−$67K median household income · 5,290 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of El Campo
About 4 of every 100 El Campo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
Famous people from El Campo
15 notable people were born in El Campo.
K
Kelly ThiebaudAmerican actress · born 1982
L
Little Willie LittlefieldAmerican R&B pianist and singer · 1931–2013C
Chuck SwindollAmerican pastor and Christian writer · born 1934
D
Denice DentonAmerican academic administrator · 1959–2006About El Campo
City in Texas, United States
El Campo is a city in Wharton County, Texas, United States. Its population was 12,350 at the 2020 Census, making it the largest city in Wharton County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 8.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 105 ft
- ZIP code
- 77437
- Area code
- 979
Questions about El Campo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is El Campo, TX a good place to live?
El Campo grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #597 of 640 in Texas. It grades C for health, C− for safety and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is El Campo, TX expensive?
Yes. That is 3.3 years of the area's median household income ($66,924 across the El Campo, TX area). 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 El Campo, TX known for?
15 notable people were born here, including Kelly Thiebaud and Gary W. Janak.