City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Abilene, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Abilene - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

127,130
Residents
$62,720
Median income
$178,900
Median home
$1,276
Median rent (state)

Abilene - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Abilene lands in the 39th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

39th
percentile, household income
36th
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
28th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Abilene, TX

127,130 people live in Abilene, Texas - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Abilene brings in $62,720 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Home values in Abilene run a median of $178,900, and the median resident age is 32.8 years. About 27.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 481 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 38% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2187.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 63.7°F with 27.8 inches of precipitation per year and 3.1 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,276 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Texas run around $223, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 14.0 minutes, with 77.8% driving alone and 7.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 83.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

127,130 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$62,720 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Abilene compare to other US cities?

Abilene measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 36% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Texas, Abilene ranks #478 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Abilene against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Texas's city distribution

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Abilene ranks #447 - the 73rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Abilene only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#782 of 1,520
49th percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#581 of 1,663
64th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#647 of 1,505
57th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#740 of 1,663
55th percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#447 of 1,663
73rd percentile in Texas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Texas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

39thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Abilene's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Abilene's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 42 Avg. percentile National median
Abilene's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Abilene's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$178,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 64% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Abilene $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Abilene, TX Abilene, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Abilene, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Abilene, TX median $62,720/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Abilene, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Abilene, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
127,130
Median Income
$62,720
Median Home Value
$178,900
Median Age
32.8
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
55.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2187.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
424.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1763.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.7°F
Annual Precipitation
27.8"
Annual Snowfall
3.1"

Schools

Total Schools
38
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
124,000 residents126,000 residents128,000 residents130,000 residents132,000 residents134,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 125,194 residents 131,588 residents ▲ +5.1%
Abilene's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
481
housing units authorized
Single-Family
385
detached homes
Multifamily
96
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 349
2020 637
2021 869
2022 776
2023 433
2024 481

Permit volume increased 38% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.0 minutes
Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
10.0%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 60,168 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Abilene sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,276/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Pearland
125,983 people
Lewisville
128,313 people
Round Rock
124,288 people
College Station
122,280 people
Carrollton
132,741 people
Midland
133,998 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Abilene's 127,130 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Columbia, MO
127,200 people
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), GA
126,987 people
Lehigh Acres, FL
127,391 people
Topeka, KS
126,103 people
Simi Valley, CA
125,769 people
Thousand Oaks, CA
125,676 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Abilene's $62,720 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Watertown, SD
$62,721 median income
Belle Plaine, KS
$62,727 median income
Hildale, UT
$62,727 median income
Madison Heights, VA
$62,727 median income
Lakeview, AR
$62,708 median income
Ailey, GA
$62,708 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Abilene, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Abilene, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.6% 10.3% 6.2% 13.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 26.9% White 66.6% Black or African American 10.3% Asian 2.3% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 6.2% Two or more races 13.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Abilene compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Abilene (this city) 127,130 $62,720
Pearland 125,983 $112,470
Lewisville 128,313 $85,002
Round Rock 124,288 $97,187
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Abilene, TX?

What is the population of Abilene, TX? +

127,130 people live in Abilene, TX according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Abilene, TX? +

Median annual household income in Abilene runs $62,720, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Abilene? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Abilene; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Abilene, TX safe? +

Abilene has a total crime rate of 2187.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Abilene, TX? +

The median home value in Abilene is $178,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Abilene? +

Abilene has an average annual temperature of 63.7°F, 27.8 inches of precipitation, and 3.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.