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Merkel, TX

Full City Profile · Texas · Nolan County County

3.0 /5.0
B Good
2,630 Population 939/sq mi density
$62,368 Median Income $27,624 per capita
$99,000 Home Value $179,483 Zillow
$992 Median Rent 18.6% income on rent
63°F Avg Temperature 328 sunny days/yr
648 Violent Crime/100K 648 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.0 / 5.0
$62,368 median income, 1.2% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$99,000 home value, $992/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
648 violent crimes/100K (71% above avg)
C
Education
2.0 / 5.0
12.6% bachelor's degree or higher

Merkel, TX

At a Glance

Median Income
$62,368
17% below
$27,624 per capita
Home Value
$99,000
65% below
Zillow: $179,483
Median Rent
$992/mo
15% below
18.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
648/100K
71% above
648/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
12.6%
63% below
92.2% high school+
Unemployment
1.2%
67% below
10.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
37.1%
16% above
17.0% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
63°F
328 sunny days/yr

How Merkel Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Merkel's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
83%
Home Value
35%
Rent
85%
Poverty
85%
Bachelor's
37%
Unemployment
33%
Crime
171%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Merkel a Good Place to Live?

B
3.0 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Merkel residents earn a median household income of $62,368 , which is 17% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $27,624. The unemployment rate stands at 1.2% (67% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 10.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 420 business establishments, including 42 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Merkel is $99,000 , 65% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $179,483. Median rent is $992/month, with 18.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 97.1 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1960.

Safety & Crime

Merkel reports 648 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 71% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 648/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

12.6% of adults in Merkel hold a bachelor's degree or higher (63% below the national average). 92.2% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Merkel has an average annual temperature of 63°F (17°C). Winters average 44°F in January while summers reach 82°F in July. The area gets 328 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 26.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 42.

Data Overview

People

Population2,630
Median Age36.2 yrs
Density939/mi²
Male / Female44% / 56%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans6.6%

Economy

A
Median Income$62,368
Per Capita$27,624
Unemployment1.2%
Poverty10.6%
County GDP$1,201M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,113

Housing

A+
Home Value$99,000
Rent$992
Ownership77.4%
Zillow$179,483
Housing Units1,095
Rent Burden18.6%

Crime

F
Violent648/100K
Property648/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault267/100K
Burglary267/100K

Health

Obesity37.1%
Diabetes11.7%
Smoking17.0%
Heart Disease6.0%
Premature Death10,043/100K

Climate

Avg Temp63°F
Sunny Days328/yr
Rain26.5 in/yr
AQI42 (Good)
Elevation1,870 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+12.6%
High School+92.2%
Graduate+5.3%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 79% / D 20%
Commute33 min
Broadband89.0%
Internet Speed71 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries1

Did You Know?

The median home in Merkel was built in 1960.
The nearest airport is Abilene Regional (20 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.519 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
18.9% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 5 fatal vehicle crashes.