Ponder Library, 2012
Ponder’s story
133 years in pictures
Census counts: 208 in 1970, 2,442 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1959 on.
- 1893Ponder is settled
PonderTX
A town of 2,863, settled in 1893.
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,863
2025 Census estimate · +16.8% since 2020
Typical home
$309K
−3.7% in a year
Household income
$106K
median
Median age
33.2
years
Jobs based here
635
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#14 of 640 in TX
Is Ponder a good place to live?
Ponder grades A overall, 14th among Texas's 640 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 93% of U.S. towns and the median household earns $106K. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $309K for a typical one and 3.4 times the Dallas metro’s $90K median household income. Ponder’s median rent is $2,158 a month, against $1,206 a month in Texas’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. Among 642 Texas towns, just 9 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Ponder. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 75% of U.S. towns.
What makes Ponder stand out
Where Ponder beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ponder0.3
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
91% less violent crime than TX
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
31 measures vs. Texas
18 better11 too close to call2 worse
| Widest gap | Ponder | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 10% | 19.1% |
HealthA
Beats TX on 18 of 31 CDC measures, trails it on 2
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
PONDER ISD schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Ponder El | PK–5 | 773 |
| Ponder J H | 6–8 | 389 |
| Ponder H S | 9–12 | 557 |
SchoolsB+
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Ponder has grown 104% since 2010
1,395 counted in 2010 and 2,442 in 2020; an estimated 2,863 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 16.8% since 2020, after 75.1% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Ponder grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Ponder is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →HealthTexas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton 9.3 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 42% of U.S. communities; tornadoes tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailC−Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life2 library visits per resident; 3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.2; 34% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ponder: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ponder, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Ponder water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ponder’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 hereDenton County Early Voting ClerkDenton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP code7625976259 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 Ponder.
Ponder has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has less no health insurance than most of Texas and has home values still below their peak.
SafetyA
Ponder earns an A for safety
Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
Ponder’s property crime rate is 2 per 1,000 residents.
93%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Ponder | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ponder0.3
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ponder2
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
93rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
99th
percentile among TX towns
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB+
Public schools in Ponder beat 71% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Ponder ISD. Its three schools are below. The largest public high school is Ponder H S, with 557 students.
71%of TX districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponder ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 773 | B |
| Ponder H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 557 | A |
| Ponder J HTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 389 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Ponder stands out in Texas and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have high blood pressure
Its widest gap with Texas is no health insurance: 10% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 19.1% statewide.
25% of Ponder adults have high blood pressure. Among 641 Texas towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Ponder. 24% of Ponder adults have been diagnosed with depression.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Ponder | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.3% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
18 better11 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Ponder | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 10% | 19.1% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.6% | 12.5% |
| More binge drinkers | 21.6% | 17% |
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton
9.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
88th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Ponder’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Ponder for work: only 1% work in town. The average trip to work in Ponder is 30 minutes. Jobs based in Ponder fell to 635 in 2023, 105 fewer than in 2013.
1%work in town
| Ponder | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 13% | 9.6% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Ponder1%
Fort Worth12%
Dallas11%
Denton8%
Irving7%
24 mi
median commute distance
635
jobs based in Ponder
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 25% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC−
Ponder has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
1.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
#258for trails in TX
0%
conserved · 0 of 2,000 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Remington Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Ponder has mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 95.7°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34°.
Ponder has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
| Ponder | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 95°F | 85°F |
| January low | 34°F | 37°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–58°
Spring54–75°
Summer73–94°
Fall55–77°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 13
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Texas overall
Children under 18 are 33% of residents (25% statewide). 11% of residents are 65 or older in Ponder. Ponder has grown 17% since 2020, to 2,863 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
33.2median age · TX 35.6
| Ponder | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 11% | 14% | 18% |
| Median age | 33.2 years | 35.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 23% | 29% |
PonderTexasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school21%
Some college27%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6 points. Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Ponder | TX | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.1% | 13.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14% | 11.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.6% | 9.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.2% | 14.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 19.4% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.4% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.7% | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.3% | 8.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.4% | 5.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 14% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.4% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.4% | 20.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15% | 7.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23% | 21.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.5% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Ponder faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities.
42risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingHail
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C
Ponder earns a C for cost of living
The typical value, about $309K, is 14% below its August 2022 peak.
The typical Ponder home is worth about $309,000, down 3.7% in a year, close to the Texas typical home.
$309KZillow home value
Typical home value
Ponder$309K
Texas$296K
−3.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ponder
20pages on Ponder
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 71% of TX districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than TX on 18 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingC$309K typical home · down 3.7% in a yearWork & commuteA$106K median household income · 635 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 42% of U.S. communities · tornadoes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Ponder
University of North TexasUniversity or college · Public · Denton9 mi$11,309 in-state tuitionTexas Woman's UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Denton10.4 mi$8,640 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Ponder residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Ponder for work
Where Ponder’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
635jobs based in Ponder
1%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ponder
Town in Texas, United States
Ponder is a town in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,442 in 2020.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 732 ft
- ZIP code
- 76259
- Area code
- 940
Questions about Ponder
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ponder, TX a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Ponder grades A overall, better than 88% of U.S. towns and #14 of 640 in Texas. It grades A for health, A for safety and B+ for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C.
Is Ponder, 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.