City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Sulphur Springs, TX

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

16,185
Residents
$56,457
Median income
$188,200
Median home
$1,115
Median rent (state)

Sulphur Springs - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sulphur Springs places in the 30th percentile for household income and the 67th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

30th
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
67th
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: Sulphur Springs, TX

Sulphur Springs is a small town in Texas, home to 16,185 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $56,457 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.2%. Home values in Sulphur Springs run a median of $188,200, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. 19.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 63 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Sulphur Springs reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 912.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Sulphur Springs's yearly average temperature at 64.9°F with 46.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,115 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Commute times here average 16.2 minutes, with 80.5% driving alone and 5.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 71.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

16,185 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$56,457 /yr

Poverty 12.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Sulphur Springs compare to other US cities?

Where Sulphur Springs sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities
Safety 67% 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, Sulphur Springs ranks #204 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 Sulphur Springs against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of Texas's city distribution

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Sulphur Springs ranks #635 - the 61st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sulphur Springs only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#955 of 1,520
37th percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#875 of 1,663
47th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#599 of 1,505
60th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#635 of 1,663
61st percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#721 of 1,663
56th 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.

30thIncome percentile
67thSafety percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income · 67th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sulphur Springs's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sulphur Springs'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 54 Avg. percentile National median
Sulphur Springs'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 Sulphur Springs's home value compares nationally

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

$188,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% 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. Sulphur Springs $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 - Sulphur Springs, TX Sulphur Springs, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sulphur Springs, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX median $56,457/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%
Sulphur Springs, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.7%

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

Population
16,185
Median Income
$56,457
Median Home Value
$188,200
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
12.2%
Labor force participation
61.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
912.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
166.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
745.3
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
64.9°F
Annual Precipitation
46.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,500 residents16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents17,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,966 residents 17,054 residents ▲ +6.8%
Sulphur Springs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
63
housing units authorized
Single-Family
63
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 42
2020 10
2021 128
2022 46
2023 71
2024 63

Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.2 minutes
Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
9.7%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
5.9%
Other
1.3%

Based on 7,676 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 Sulphur Springs sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,115/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
71.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Hewitt
16,244 people
Mount Pleasant
16,061 people
Gatesville
16,058 people
South Houston
16,017 people
Highland
16,004 people
Mercedes
16,449 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sulphur Springs's 16,185 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
16,177 people
Four Corners, OR
16,168 people
Griffith, IN
16,228 people
Sikeston, MO
16,231 people
Welby, CO
16,232 people
Lithia Springs, GA
16,138 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sulphur Springs's $56,457 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shawano, WI
$56,457 median income
Beaverton, AL
$56,458 median income
Fayetteville, IL
$56,458 median income
Kell, IL
$56,458 median income
Richmond, KS
$56,458 median income
Oak Hill, MI
$56,458 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sulphur Springs, 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 Sulphur Springs, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.8% 13.4% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.4% White 74.8% Black or African American 13.4% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 6.7% 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 Sulphur Springs 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
Sulphur Springs (this city) 16,185 $56,457
Hewitt 16,244 $83,798
Mount Pleasant 16,061 $53,039
Gatesville 16,058 $54,802
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sulphur Springs, TX?

What is the population of Sulphur Springs, TX? +

The population of Sulphur Springs, TX stands at 16,185 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sulphur Springs, TX? +

Median annual household income in Sulphur Springs runs $56,457, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sulphur Springs? +

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

Sulphur Springs has a total crime rate of 912.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Sulphur Springs, TX? +

The median home value in Sulphur Springs is $188,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Sulphur Springs? +

Climate normals put Sulphur Springs's yearly average temperature at 64.9°F, 46.5 inches of precipitation. 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.