Downtown Lorena, TX IMG 5330, 2011
Lorena’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 406 in 1970, 1,785 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1957 on.
- 1882Lorena is settled
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,817
2025 Census estimate · +2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$340K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
41.4
years
Jobs based here
1,348
A job hub
Is Lorena a good place to live?
Lorena’s best subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for health and incomes; its weakest is a D for walkability. On hazard risk, just 29 of Texas’ 1,000 towns do better. Lorena’s average trip to work is 20 minutes, below both Texas’ towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Lorena has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Lorena stand out
Where Lorena beats most towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,297 people come to Lorena for work
Where Lorena’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,348jobs based in Lorena
6%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Lorena grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Lorena is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5 of 20; 5.4% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →HealthAscension Providence 9.1 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$88K median household incomeA−Open →Cost of livingC+Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC+Open →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market62 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.4–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lorena: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lorena, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Lorena water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpWednesdayTrash dayTown 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 hereMcLennan County Early Voting ClerkMcLennan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7665576655 99%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 Lorena.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About two in five of Lorena’s working residents commute to Waco
Most working residents leave Lorena for work: only 6% work in town. 4.6% of Lorena residents live below the poverty line, where Texas’ towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Since 2013, Lorena has added 317 jobs, to 1,348 in 2023.
6%work in town
| Lorena | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lorena6%
Waco39%
Austin5%
Temple4%
Woodway3%
13 mi
median commute distance
1,348
jobs based in Lorena
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 12% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA
Public schools in Lorena beat 89% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Lorena ISD. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Lorena High, with 580 students.
89%of TX districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorena MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 438 | A− |
| Lorena HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 580 | A+ |
| Lorena ElTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 409 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Lorena
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lorena since 2010.
8risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2010
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
Lorena ranks healthier than 83% of the country’s towns
Lorena beats the Texas average on 13 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of adults get no exercise outside work in Lorena.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Lorena | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 30% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 24% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 13% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Texas
13 better17 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Lorena | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 9.6% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12% | 19.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 7.9% | 6.1% |
Ascension Providence
9.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Texas overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (24% statewide); people 65 and older are 19% of residents (13% statewide). 38% of Lorena adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. Lorena has grown 2.1% since 2020, to 1,817 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
41.4median age · TX 35.6
| Lorena | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 23% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 28% | 26% | 22% |
| Median age | 41.4 years | 35.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 14% | 18% |
LorenaTexasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school18%
Some college29%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Lorena | TX | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 17% | 13.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.6% | 11.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 9.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.4% | 14.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.1% | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.4% | 8.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 5.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.1% | 14% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.4% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 29.1% | 20.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.7% | 7.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.7% | 21.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.9% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Lorena, expect mild winters and hot summers
Lorena has mild winters and hot summers. Lorena’s July high is 95°F.
96°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–61°
Spring55–77°
Summer72–94°
Fall57–80°
Nov 18
typical first frost
Mar 15
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Lorena is valued at about $340K
The typical Lorena home is worth about $340,000, about the same as a year ago, 15% above the Texas typical home.
$340KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lorena$340K
Texas$296K
Market temperature
62
days on market
98%
sale-to-list price
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
8
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyB−
Crime per resident in Lorena is higher than in 55% of U.S. towns
The violent crime rate in Lorena is 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
45%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Lorena | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.3 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lorena0.6
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lorena8.3
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
45th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
15
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Nearby attractions
All 7 attractions →McLane Stadium and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lorena. Close and well known come first.
11 mi Stadium & arenaMcLane Stadium
13 mi MuseumTexas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
15 mi National MonumentWaco Mammoth National Monument92K visitors a year
14 mi Zoo & aquariumCameron Park Zoo
13 mi MuseumMayborn Museum ComplexSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
McLane Stadium: Djyueng, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Waco Mammoth National Monument: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Cameron Park Zoo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 · Mayborn Museum Complex: User:Aboxorocks, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lorena
19pages on Lorena
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 89% of TX districts · 4 schoolsSafetyB−0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than TX on 13 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$340K typical home · up 0.1% in a yearWork & commuteA−$88K median household income · 1,348 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Lorena
Baylor UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waco12.5 mi$58,100 tuitionMcLennan Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waco14.4 mi$3,660 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Lorena residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Texas.
About Lorena
City in Texas, United States
Lorena is a small city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,785 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 604 ft
- ZIP code
- 76655
- Area code
- 254
Questions about Lorena
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lorena, TX expensive?
That is 5.1 years of the area's median household income ($66,205 across the Waco, TX metro 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+.