Sabine county tx former jail, 2015
Hemphill’s story
167 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1859Hemphill is settled
HemphillTX
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,027
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$218K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
33.7
years
Jobs based here
1,010
A job hub
Is Hemphill a good place to live?
The best of Hemphill’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. Only 60 of Texas’ 998 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns. Only 6 of the 489 Texas towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Hemphill. On the outdoors, just 48 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do worse. Hemphill has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Hemphill stand out
Where Hemphill beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,010
Residents who work315
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 98% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Typical home value
Hemphill$218K
Texas$296K
Cost of livingA+
3.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 96% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1859
A long history
A history going back 167 years.
A shrinking town
Hemphill has shrunk 15% since 2010
1,198 counted in 2010 and 1,029 in 2020; an estimated 1,027 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Hemphill grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Hemphill is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income$67K median household incomeDOpen →HealthSabine County Hospital 3.1 miles awayCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life4.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 94° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.7; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hemphill: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hemphill, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of HemphillEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Hemphill water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers77% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hemphill’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 hereSabine County Early Voting Clerk - FPCA SubmissionSabine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code7594875948 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 Hemphill.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 3.2 jobs for every working resident, Hemphill draws in 936 commuters
About one in 4 of Hemphill’s working residents works in town. 17% of Hemphill residents live below the poverty line, against 12% in Texas’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Hemphill has added 442 jobs, to 1,010 in 2023.
23%work in town
| Hemphill | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Hemphill23%
Houston6%
Jasper4%
Lufkin4%
Beaumont4%
47 mi
median commute distance
1,010
jobs based in Hemphill
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
On state tests, Hemphill’s schools beat 67% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Hemphill ISD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
67%of TX districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hemphill ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 340 | B− |
| Hemphill H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 229 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Hemphill is less healthy than 73% of U.S. towns
Hemphill beats the Texas average on 9 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 43% of Hemphill adults have high blood pressure, where Texas’ towns sit at 35% and U.S. towns at 35%. 15% of Hemphill adults have diabetes.
27%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Hemphill | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
9 better12 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Hemphill | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 13.4% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 12.4% | 16.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 5.7% |
Sabine County Hospital
3.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Hemphill are worth about $218K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Hemphill home is worth about $218,000, up 2.8% in a year, 27% below the Texas typical home. The median rent in Hemphill is $882 a month.
$218KZillow home value
| Hemphill | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $882 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hemphill$218K
Texas$296K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Hemphill
Hemphill has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Hemphill’s July high is 93°F.
94°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–61°
Spring55–78°
Summer71–92°
Fall55–79°
Nov 30
typical first frost
Mar 1
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Hemphill
Hemphill's reported crime rate is well below Texas's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Hemphill0
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Hemphill4.8
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Hemphill faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Hemphill since 2012.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
1
paid flood claims since 2012
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hemphill
17pages on Hemphill
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 67% of TX districts · 3 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than TX on 9 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$218K typical home · up 2.8% in a yearWork & commuteD$67K median household income · 1,010 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 58% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hemphill; the nearest are
Stephen F Austin State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Nacogdoches50.7 mi$11,128 in-state tuitionAngelina CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lufkin52.1 mi$3,430 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Hemphill residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
Small town
1,027 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Hemphill
City in and county seat of Sabine County, Texas, United States
Hemphill is a city in and the county seat of Sabine County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,029 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Sabine County. It is located on State Highway 87 at the junction of State Highway 184, and is surrounded by the Sabine National Forest and the Toledo Bend Reservoir.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 279 ft
- ZIP code
- 75948
- Area code
- 409
Questions about Hemphill
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hemphill, TX expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.