Road 187 at, 2000
Sabinal’s story
172 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2000.
- 1854Sabinal is settled
SabinalTX
A town of 1,378, settled in 1854.
Photo: Renegomezphotography · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,378
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$174K
−3.3% in a year
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
53.7
years
Jobs based here
179
A commuter town
Is Sabinal a good place to live?
Sabinal’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for safety; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 37% of residents live below the poverty line in Sabinal, against 12% in Texas’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 3 of Texas’ 990 towns score lower on incomes. Sabinal is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 71% of U.S. towns. Sabinal has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Sabinal stand out
Where Sabinal beats most towns.
Typical home value
Sabinal$174K
Texas$296K
Cost of livingA+
3.2 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 99% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Sabinal0.7
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
80% less violent crime than TX
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
12.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A shrinking town
Sabinal has shrunk 19% since 2010
1,695 counted in 2010 and 1,364 in 2020; an estimated 1,378 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Sabinal grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Sabinal is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →Cost of livingA+Open →SafetyAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →HealthUvalde Memorial Hospital 19.2 miles awayC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 11.8% of households have no carB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksB−Open →History4 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life11.3 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, 97° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 53.7; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sabinal: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sabinal, and how to reach them.
PowerBandera Electric Coop12.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Sabinal water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sabinal’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 hereUvalde County Early Voting ClerkUvalde County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code7888178881 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 Sabinal.
SafetyA
Crime per resident in Sabinal is lower than in 88% of U.S. towns
Sabinal’s property crime rate is 4.3 per 1,000 residents, where Texas’ towns sit at 10.7 and U.S. towns at 9.9. Sabinal’s violent crime rate is 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
88%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Sabinal | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.3 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Sabinal0.7
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Sabinal4.3
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
88th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC
Sabinal’s schools rank behind 67% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Sabinal ISD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
33%of TX districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabinal ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 238 | C+ |
| Sabinal SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 224 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A+
A typical Sabinal home is worth about $174K
The typical Sabinal home is worth about $174,000, down 3.3% in a year, 41% below the Texas typical home.
$174KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sabinal$174K
Texas$296K
−3.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC−
Sabinal is less healthy than 76% of U.S. towns
Sabinal beats the Texas average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 27% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Sabinal.
24%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Sabinal | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 30% | 25% |
31 measures vs. Texas
1 better18 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Sabinal | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.4% | 74.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 5.6% |
Uvalde Memorial Hospital
19.2 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−
Compared with most of Texas and the rest of the country, the median household income in Sabinal is lower
The median household income in Sabinal is $34,000. Since 2013, Sabinal has lost 37 jobs, to 179 in 2023. Most working residents leave Sabinal for work: only 5% work in town.
5%work in town
| Sabinal | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sabinal5%
San Antonio20%
Uvalde7%
Hondo4%
Austin3%
56 mi
median commute distance
179
jobs based in Sabinal
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Sabinal
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Sabinal since 1997.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDrought
1
paid flood claims since 1997
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Sabinal has mild winters and hot summers
Sabinal has mild winters and hot summers. July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.
97°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter41–67°
Spring58–83°
Summer72–96°
Fall58–83°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
97°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sabinal
19pages on Sabinal
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 67% of TX districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than TX on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$174K typical home · down 3.3% in a yearWork & commuteD−$34K median household income · 179 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 75% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sabinal; the nearest are
Southwest Texas CollegeCommunity college · Public · Uvalde17.8 mi$2,646 in-state tuitionThe University of Texas at San AntonioUniversity or college · Public · San Antonio54.2 mi$9,011 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Sabinal residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
Small town
1,378 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Famous people from Sabinal
4 notable people were born in Sabinal.
About Sabinal
City in Texas, United States
Sabinal is a city in Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,364 at the 2020 census, down from 1,695 in 2010. It is part of the Uvalde, Texas Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 958 ft
- ZIP code
- 78881
- Area code
- 830
Questions about Sabinal
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sabinal, 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 Sabinal, TX known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Johnny Rodriguez and Mariette Rheiner Garner.