Live oak courthouse, 2006
George West’s story
112 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,533 in 1950, 2,171 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1927 on.
- 1914George West is settled
George WestTX
A town of 2,238, settled in 1914. 52% more nonprofits per person than the typical Texas town.
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,238
2025 Census estimate · +3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$225K
−3.1% in a year
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
33.0
years
Jobs based here
627
A commuter town
Is George West a good place to live?
George West’s best subject grades are an A− for schools and an A for civic life; its weakest is a D− for health. Only 51 of Texas’ 998 towns score lower on health. The median household income is $48K, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. On civic life, just 27 of Texas’ 791 towns do better. George West has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes George West stand out
Where George West beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
George West5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical TX town3.3
Civic lifeA
52% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Texas town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
GEORGE WEST ISD schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| George West Pri | PK–3 | 396 |
| George West El | 4–6 | 235 |
| George West J H | 7–8 | 158 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
31 measures vs. Texas
2 better9 too close to call20 worse
| Widest gap | George West | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.8% | 5.7% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 97% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
George West has shrunk 8% since 2010
2,445 counted in 2010 and 2,171 in 2020; an estimated 2,238 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How George West grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far George West is from typical.
HealthChristus Spohn Hospital Beeville 24.1 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskcold waves tops the listCOpen →SafetyC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 7.7% of households have no car; 2.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 0% conserved landCOpen →HistoryDOpen →Civic life5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 98° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.0; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to George West: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in George West, and how to reach them.
PowerNueces Electric Cooperative11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of George West water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have George West’s trash rules yet
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 hereLive Oak County Early Voting ClerkLive Oak County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code7802278022 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 George West.
HealthD−
More of George West’s adults have diabetes than in the typical Texas or U.S. town
22% of adults have diabetes in George West, against 13% in Texas’ towns and 12% across U.S. towns. 44% of adults have high blood pressure in George West. George West beats the Texas average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
3%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| George West | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 30% | 25% |
31 measures vs. Texas
2 better9 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | George West | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.4% | 17% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.3% | 74.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.8% | 5.7% |
Christus Spohn Hospital Beeville
24.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
On state tests, George West’s schools beat 81% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by George West ISD. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
81%of TX districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| George West PriLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 396 | A+ |
| George West H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 274 | A |
| George West J HTop results in townGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 158 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Most of George West’s workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave George West for work: only 17% work in town. At 18 minutes, George West’s average trip to work is where Texas’ towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Jobs based in George West fell to 627 in 2023, 1,139 fewer than in 2013.
17%work in town
| George West | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In George West17%
Corpus Christi14%
Three Rivers5%
Houston5%
Beeville4%
53 mi
median commute distance
627
jobs based in George West
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 55% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B−
George West’s typical home value is about $225K
The typical George West home is worth about $225,000, down 3.1% in a year, 24% below the Texas typical home. The median rent in George West is $848 a month.
$225KZillow home value
| George West | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $848 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 63% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
George West$225K
Texas$296K
−3.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
George West has mild winters and hot summers
George West has warm winters and hot summers. George West’s July high is 96°F.
98°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter46–69°
Spring61–83°
Summer74–96°
Fall62–84°
Dec 6
typical first frost
Feb 8
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Cold waves leads a high hazard risk in George West
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in George West.
67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHurricanes
5
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
42%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
George West0.4
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
George West8.9
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
42nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
20
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.4%conserved
| George West | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.4% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.4%
conserved · 4 of 1,237 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. George West City Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 2. G.I. Forum Memoral Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about George West
18pages on George West
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 81% of TX districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC+0.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than TX on 2 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$225K typical home · down 3.1% in a yearWork & commuteD$48K median household income · 627 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 67% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of George West; the nearest are
Coastal Bend CollegeCommunity college · Public · Beeville23.2 mi$2,916 in-state tuitionTexas A&M University-KingsvilleUniversity or college · Public · Kingsville57.4 mi$9,892 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 George West residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
A commuter town
83% of working residents leave George West for work
Where George West’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
627jobs based in George West
17%of working residents work in town
53 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About George West
City in Texas, United States
George West is a city in Live Oak County, Texas, United States, and named for cattle rancher George Washington West. The population was 2,171 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Live Oak County. George West was named the "storytelling capital of Texas" in 2005 by the Texas Senate; and it hosts the George West Storyfest, a festival that features storytelling, cowboy poetry, and music. Numerous ranches surround George West. The Texas author and folklorist J. Frank Dobie was born in Live Oak County near George West in 1888. Former State Senator Cyndi Taylor Krier, also the administrative judge of Bexar County, was reared near George West in the unincorporated community of Dinero.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 157 ft
- ZIP code
- 78022
- Area code
- 361
Questions about George West
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is George West, TX a good place to live?
52% more nonprofits per person than the typical Texas town.
Is George West, TX expensive?
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($57,150 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.