City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Odessa, TX

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

114,080
Residents
$73,030
Median income
$208,000
Median home
$1,595
Median rent (state)

Odessa - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Odessa lands in the 54th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
64th
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: Odessa, TX

Odessa is a mid-sized U.S. city in Texas, home to 114,080 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Odessa households earn a median of $73,030 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.6%. Home values in Odessa run a median of $208,000, and the median resident age is 31.0 years. Educational attainment runs 18.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 65.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1,004 residential building permits were authorized in Odessa (Construction Slowdown), down 44% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2158.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 64.4°F with 12.3 inches of precipitation per year and 0.9 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Texas at 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,595 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 82.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

114,080 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$73,030 /yr

Poverty 11.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Odessa compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 64% 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, Odessa ranks #475 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Odessa's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

54thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Odessa's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Odessa'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 43 Avg. percentile National median
Odessa'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 Odessa's home value compares nationally

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

$208,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Odessa $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 - Odessa, TX Odessa, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Odessa, 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 Odessa, TX median $73,030/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%
Odessa, 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 Odessa, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.8%

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

Population
114,080
Median Income
$73,030
Median Home Value
$208,000
Median Age
31.0
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Labor force participation
65.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2158.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
316.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1842.5
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
64.4°F
Annual Precipitation
12.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.9"

Schools

Total Schools
52
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
110,000 residents115,000 residents120,000 residents125,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 114,922 residents 122,707 residents ▲ +6.8%
Odessa's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1,004
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,004
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,782
2020 1,188
2021 1,406
2022 888
2023 690
2024 1,004

Permit volume decreased 44% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.2%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
3.1%
Other
1.5%

Based on 53,970 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 Odessa sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,595/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Beaumont
113,710 people
League City
114,885 people
The Woodlands
116,916 people
Richardson
118,269 people
Sugar Land
109,735 people
Tyler
107,718 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Odessa's 114,080 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Elgin, IL
114,106 people
Provo, UT
114,303 people
Waterbury, CT
114,356 people
Springfield, IL
113,714 people
Carlsbad, CA
114,500 people
East Los Angeles, CA
114,617 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Odessa's $73,030 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Coal City, IL
$73,030 median income
Brush, CO
$73,026 median income
Emerson, AR
$73,036 median income
Lowrey, OK
$73,036 median income
Belfast, PA
$73,036 median income
Blandburg, PA
$73,036 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Odessa, 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 Odessa, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.9% 6.8% 17.8% 20.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 61.2% White 51.9% Black or African American 6.8% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 17.8% Two or more races 20.8% 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 Odessa 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
Odessa (this city) 114,080 $73,030
Beaumont 113,710 $57,530
League City 114,885 $119,870
The Woodlands 116,916 $141,353
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Odessa, TX?

What is the population of Odessa, TX? +

114,080 people live in Odessa, TX according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Odessa households earn a median of $73,030 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Odessa? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Odessa; 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 Odessa, TX safe? +

Odessa has a total crime rate of 2158.8 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 Odessa, TX? +

Odessa's median home value sits at $208,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Odessa? +

Odessa has an average annual temperature of 64.4°F, 12.3 inches of precipitation, and 0.9 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 Editorial

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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.