Cleaned seeds in bags ready for storage and distribution at the NRCS PMC Knox City, 2009
Knox City’s story
122 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1904Knox City is settled
Knox CityTX
A town of 1,009, settled in 1904.
Photo: Leaflet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,009
2025 Census estimate · −5.2% since 2020
Typical home
$95K
+13.7% in a year
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
45.7
years
Jobs based here
299
A commuter town
Is Knox City a good place to live?
The best of Knox City’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Knox City's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 98% of U.S. towns. Knox City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Knox City stand out
Where Knox City beats most towns.
Small town
1,009 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Knox City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Knox City is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income$42K median household incomeD−Open →HealthKnox County Hospital 0.3 miles awayC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 9.2% of households have no car; 10.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SafetyBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; drought tops the listBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History3 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life1.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.7; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Knox City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Knox City, and how to reach them.
PowerTri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX)15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Knox City water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Knox City’s trash rules yet
SchoolsKnox City-O'Brien Consolidated Independent School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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 hereKnox County Early Voting ClerkKnox County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7952979529 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 Knox City.
HousingCost of living grade A+
In Knox City, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Texas or U.S. town
Zillow values the typical Knox City home at about $95,000, up 13.7% in a year, 68% below the Texas typical home. The share of households in Knox City who are owner-occupiers: 75%.
$95KZillow home value
| Knox City | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $579 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Knox City$95K
Texas$296K
+13.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB
Knox City’s public schools outperform 56% of Texas districts
Its one school is below. Knox City-O'Brien CISD runs its public schools. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 195 students.
56%of TX districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox City SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 195 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Residents of Knox City are less healthy than 81% of U.S. towns
Among adults in Knox City, 39% sleep under 7 hours. Of 31 CDC measures, Knox City beats the Texas average on 6 and trails it on 14. 17% of Knox City adults have diabetes, against 13% in Texas’ towns and 12% across U.S. towns. In Knox City, 43% of adults have high blood pressure, and 17% report frequent physical distress.
19%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Knox City | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 35% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
6 better11 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Knox City | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.3% | 17% |
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 25.5% | 28.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.8% | 12.5% |
Knox County Hospital
0.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Most of Knox City’s workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them
Half the trips to work are shorter than 69 miles. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Knox City dropped by 180, to 299. Most working residents leave Knox City for work: only 17% work in town. Also worth knowing: its average trip to work stands at 15 minutes, where Texas’ towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
17%work in town
| Knox City | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $42,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Knox City17%
Abilene8%
Wichita Falls5%
Munday4%
Fort Worth4%
69 mi
median commute distance
299
jobs based in Knox City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 64% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–58°
Spring51–78°
Summer71–96°
Fall52–78°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Knox City is safer than 61% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
In Knox City, the violent offense rate is 1 per 1,000 residents. Its level of property crime comes in at 2.9 per 1,000 residents.
61%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Knox City | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Knox City1
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Knox City2.9
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
61st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
3
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Low risk in Knox City, with drought at the top
Compared with just over three fifths of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Knox City is lower. Nearly two thirds of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from drought, followed by inland flooding at 9%.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Knox City
18pages on Knox City
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 56% of TX districts · 1 schoolSafetyB1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than TX on 6 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$95K typical home · up 13.7% in a yearWork & commuteD−$42K median household income · 299 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities · drought
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Knox City; the nearest are
Vernon CollegeCommunity college · Public · Vernon58.6 mi$3,720 in-state tuitionMidwestern State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Wichita Falls81 mi$10,580 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Knox City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
A commuter town
83% of working residents leave Knox City for work
Where Knox City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
299jobs based in Knox City
17%of working residents work in town
69 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Knox City
3 notable people were born in Knox City.
About Knox City
Town in Texas, United States
Knox City is a town in Knox County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,065 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,529 ft
- ZIP code
- 79529
- Area code
- 940
Questions about Knox City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Knox City, 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+.
What is Knox City, TX known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Stan Hansen and Kay Adams.