City Hall in Van, TX IMG 6622, 2012
Van’s story
132 years in pictures
Census counts: 610 in 1950, 2,664 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
- 1894Van is settled
Population
2,993
2025 Census estimate · +12.2% since 2020
Typical home
$236K
−0.4% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
36.3
years
Jobs based here
1,247
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#156 of 640 in TX
Is Van a good place to live?
Van is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B− overall, ranked 156th of 640 in Texas, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its schools rank ahead of 70% of Texas towns. It also does better than most on safety: crime is low: it reports less per resident than 68% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in incomes: the median household income is $69K, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. A typical home there costs about $236K, 3.4 years of the county’s $69K median household income. Only 73 of Texas’ 1,000 towns score higher on hazard risk.
What makes Van stand out
Where Van beats most towns.
How Van grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Van is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 2.5% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →SafetyB+Open →Jobs & incomeC+Open →HealthUT Health East Texas Quitman Hospital 22 miles awayC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life6.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$236K typical home, down 0.4% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.3–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Van: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Van, and how to reach them.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Van water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFridayTown’s haulerTown 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 hereVan Zandt County Early Voting ClerkVan Zandt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7579075790 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 Van.
Van carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Texas (mostly inland flooding) and fares better on crime within Texas than nationally, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Top of a very low hazard risk in Van: inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 90% of Texas towns; that rating is what its A for hazard risk is built on.
Paid flood insurance claims in Van since 2016: one. The risk rating from FEMA for Van comes to 14 of 100, below both Texas’ towns (47 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). FEMA puts 31% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 20% to tornadoes. Also worth knowing: households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2016
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB+
Van’s grade for schools is a B+
Van ISD runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Van H S, with 768 students. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed.
70%of TX districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodes ElLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–1 | Grades PK–1 | 402 | – |
| Van H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 768 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
SafetyB+
Van’s grade for safety is a B+
At 12.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 81% of Texas’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
For Van, the violent offense rate is 0.3 per 1,000 residents. The property crime rate for Van comes to 8.6 per 1,000 residents, below both the Texas town median (10.7) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9).
68%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Van | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.6 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Van0.3
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Van8.6
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
68th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
81st
percentile among TX towns
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
26
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Van, expect mild winters and hot summers
The Mineola weather station, 12 miles away, records that about 99 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. The Mineola weather station, 12 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 235 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 79% of Texas places with climate records.
Van’s typical July afternoon high stands at 94°F.
94°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–59°
Spring54–75°
Summer71–92°
Fall55–77°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 20
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
Van’s grade for cost of living is a B−
A typical home in Van is worth about $236,000, about the same as a year ago, 21% below the Texas typical home. In Van, 78% of households live in a home they own.
$236KZillow home value
| Van | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 78% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,220 a month | $1,206 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Van$236K
Texas$296K
−0.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Texas overall
The share of residents in Van who are 65 or older: 13%. Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (24% statewide); children under 18 are 33% of residents (25% statewide). The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Van at 2,993 residents, up 12% since 2020. The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 28%, against 34% across Texas.
36.3median age · TX 35.6
| Van | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 14% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.3 years | 35.8 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 23% | 29% |
VanTexasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school35%
Some college24%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.2 points. Across Texas, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Van | TX | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 18.6% | 13.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.1% | 11.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.6% | 9.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 14.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.1% | 14.1% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.3% | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.7% | 8.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.2% | 5.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.8% | 14% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.3% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.8% | 20.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9% | 7.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.1% | 21.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7% | 12.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,000, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About one in seven working residents works right in Van
Van has about as many jobs (1,247) as working residents, but only 160 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 892 in 2013 to 1,247.
The top destinations are Tyler (13%), Dallas (4%) and Canton (3%). For most workers, Van is a place to come home to: only 15% work in town. Since 2013, Van has added 355 jobs, to 1,247 in 2023. Its average commute comes in at 31 minutes.
15%work in town
| Van | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 12% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Van15%
Tyler13%
Dallas4%
Canton3%
Houston3%
25 mi
median commute distance
1,247
jobs based in Van
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 27% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC+
Residents of Van are less healthy than three in five U.S. towns
The nearest emergency room, UT Health East Texas Quitman Hospital, is 22 miles away in a straight line.
Van beats the Texas average on 4 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 6. Just over a quarter of adults have been diagnosed with depression locally. Two figures for adults here: 19% report frequent mental distress, 75% had a checkup this year.
41%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Van | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 74% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Texas
4 better21 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Van | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 12.8% | 19.1% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 13.6% | 16.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.8% | 12.5% |
UT Health East Texas Quitman Hospital
22 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
55th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Van
19pages on Van
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 70% of TX districts · 3 schoolsSafetyB+0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than TX on 4 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$236K typical home · down 0.4% in a yearWork & commuteC+$69K median household income · 1,247 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Van; the nearest are
Texas CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Tyler21.6 mi$10,008 tuitionThe University of Texas at TylerUniversity or college · Public · Tyler26.6 mi$9,736 in-state tuitionKilgore CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kilgore45.8 mi$2,160 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Van residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
About Van
City in Texas, United States
Van is a city located in southeastern Van Zandt County, Texas, United States, approximately 26 miles northwest of Tyler. Its population was 2,664 at the 2020 census. The town draws its name from an early settler and school teacher, Henry Vance.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 489 ft
- ZIP code
- 75790
- Area code
- 903
Questions about Van
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Van, TX a good place to live?
Van grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #156 of 640 in Texas. It grades C+ for health, B+ for safety and B+ for schools.
Is Van, 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 B−.
What is Van, TX known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Todd Fowler and Adrian Hall.