1920 Kilgore 7th Grade Class, 1920
Kilgore’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 248 in 1880, 13,376 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1876 and 2 maps from 1936 on.
- 1872Kilgore is settled
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
13,531
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$213K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
35.3
years
Jobs based here
9,943
A job hub
TownGrade
D
#449 of 640 in TX
Is Kilgore a good place to live?
Kilgore earns a D, ranked 449th of 640 in Texas, mostly because of health and safety. Residents are less healthy than 76% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. It reports more crime per resident than 76% of U.S. towns, including 36 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. In its favor, natural-hazard risk is low. Kilgore is home to Kilgore College. 21% of working residents work locally in Kilgore, where Texas’ towns sit at 8.3% and U.S. towns at 8%. The biggest park or preserve is Elder Lake at Synergy Park, at 40 acres.
What makes Kilgore stand out
Where Kilgore beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here9,943
Residents who work5,194
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Natural hazardsB+
Lower risk than 84% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
The college
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Kilgore College | 4,721 |
A college in town
4,721 college students
at Kilgore College
Students are 6% of residents.
College town
Kilgore College calls Kilgore home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Kilgore grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Kilgore is from typical.
HealthChristus Good Shepherd Medical Center 10.4 miles awayC−Open →SafetyC−Open →Hazard risktornadoes tops the listB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →Jobs & income$66K median household incomeB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.1 of 20; 5% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History11 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life2.9 library visits per resident; 5.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 95° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market76 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.3; 19% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Kilgore: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kilgore, and how to reach them.
PowerSWEPCO12.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Kilgore water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown 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 hereGregg County Early Voting ClerkGregg County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code7566275662 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 Kilgore.
Kilgore carries less natural-hazard risk than most of Texas (mostly tornadoes), draws workers from Longview and beyond and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
About one in five working residents works right in Kilgore
9,943 jobs are based in Kilgore, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 5 of Kilgore’s working residents works in town. 17% of Kilgore residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Kilgore fell to 9,943 in 2023, 1,793 fewer than in 2013.
21%work in town
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Kilgore21%
Longview21%
Tyler5%
Dallas3%
Houston3%
13 mi
median commute distance
9,943
jobs based in Kilgore
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 51% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Kilgore’s schools trail 63% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Kilgore ISD. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Kilgore H S, with 1,167 students.
37%of TX districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilgore MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 840 | C+ |
| Kilgore H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,167 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Kilgore faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 89% of Texas towns, with expected losses of about $181 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
Kilgore’s FEMA risk score is 16 of 100. Since 1987, 48 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Kilgore.
16risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingIce storms
48
paid flood claims since 1987
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC−
For health, Kilgore earns a C−
18% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Kilgore. Kilgore beats the Texas average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 20% of adults report frequent mental distress in Kilgore.
24%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 74% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 24% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Texas
0 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Kilgore | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8% | 5.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.4% | 12.5% |
| More smokers | 16% | 12.5% |
Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center
10.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
36th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC−
For safety, Kilgore earns a C−
Reported crimes fell from 380 to 268 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Kilgore is 17 per 1,000 residents. Kilgore reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less. The violent crime rate in Kilgore is 2.6 per 1,000 residents.
24%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 17 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Kilgore2.6
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Kilgore17
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
24th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
26th
percentile among TX towns
36
violent crimes reported in 2025
232
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade C+
Kilgore’s typical home value is about $213K
The typical Kilgore home is worth about $213,000, up 1.1% in a year, 28% below the Texas typical home.
$213KZillow home value
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,010 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Kilgore$213K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
76
days on market
96%
sale-to-list price
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
19
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Kilgore
The Longview Wsmo weather station, 13 miles away, records that about 89 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 94°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 36.4°.
Kilgore has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.
95°summer high
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 94°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–60°
Spring54–77°
Summer72–93°
Fall55–78°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Mar 8
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
#341for trails in TX
| Kilgore | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
1.1%
conserved · 136 of 11,977 acres
3.0 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elder Lake at Synergy Park | 0.9 mi | 40 |
| 2. Harris Street Park | — | 34 |
| 3. Meadowbrook Park | 0.1 mi | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kilgore
20pages on Kilgore
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 63% of TX districts · 6 schoolsSafetyC−2.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than TX on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$213K typical home · up 1.1% in a yearWork & commuteB−$66K median household income · 9,943 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Kilgore
Kilgore CollegeCommunity college · Public · KilgoreIn town$2,160 in-state tuitionLeTourneau UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Longview9.2 mi$37,160 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Kilgore residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
A job hub
Every workday, about 8,841 people come to Kilgore for work
Where Kilgore’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
9,943jobs based in Kilgore
21%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Kilgore
11 notable people were born in Kilgore.
W
Will JenningsAmerican songwriter · 1944–2024
A
Alvin ReedAmerican football player · born 1944C
Charles Edwin HurwitzAmerican financier and businessperson · born 1940About Kilgore
City in Texas, United States
Kilgore ( ) is a city in Gregg and Rusk counties in Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 13,376. It is located where Interstate 20 and US 259 converge south of the Sabine River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1872
- Area
- 19 sq mi
- Elevation
- 358 ft
- ZIP code
- 75662, 75663
- Area code
- 903, 430
Questions about Kilgore
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kilgore, TX a good place to live?
Kilgore grades D overall, better than 14% of U.S. towns and #449 of 640 in Texas. It grades C− for health, C− for safety and C+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Kilgore, 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 Kilgore, TX known for?
11 notable people were born here, including Randy Matson and Will Jennings.