Wichita Falls, Texas, known as "The Gateway to Texas," is a historic and vibrant city located near Dallas and Oklahoma City. With its rich history, strong local economy, and welcoming community, Wichita Falls offers a high quality of life for its residents. The city's blend of historic charm and modern amenities makes living in Wichita Falls an attractive option for families and professionals.
Residents of Wichita Falls enjoy a variety of recreational activities and cultural events. The city's numerous parks, museums, and cultural institutions provide ample opportunities for outdoor activities and enrichment. The Wichita Falls Museum of Art and the Lucy Park are popular destinations that celebrate the city's cultural richness and natural beauty. The annual Hotter'N Hell Hundred and the Wichita Falls Ranch & Farm Expo are events that showcase Wichita Falls' vibrant community spirit.
Wichita Falls' strong economy is supported by a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, education, and manufacturing. The city's strategic location near Dallas and Oklahoma City provides residents with easy access to job opportunities and cultural amenities in both metropolitan areas. Major employers in the area include Sheppard Air Force Base and the Wichita Falls Independent School District.
Wichita Falls is committed to community development, with numerous initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, public services, and recreational facilities. These efforts contribute to the city's overall appeal and enhance the quality of life for its residents.
Public transportation in Wichita Falls is well-developed, with access to Wichita Falls Transit System (Falls Ride) buses, facilitating easy commutes within the city and to neighboring areas. Wichita Falls' climate features hot summers and mild winters, allowing for year-round outdoor activities. Overall, Wichita Falls offers a blend of historical significance, economic opportunity, and community spirit, making it a desirable place to live.
Cost Of Living
Everyday cost of living expenses like goods and services, housing, groceries, transportation, health care and utilities are far below the national average.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Amenities
The majority of amenities will be difficult to reach within a short walk, often requiring residents to use a vehicle or public transportation for access.
Commute
Low commute scores could be due to limited access to public transit in this area, as well as longer-than-average work commute times for residents.
Crime
Reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people, this area may be perceived as an unsafe place to reside. These statistics encompass both violent and property crime rates.
Wichita Falls, Texas is a medium-sized city with a population of 104,657 people. At 74%, the majority of the Wichita Falls population is White; this is followed by 12% Black and 3% Asian. Wichita Falls could be a great place for young adults and students as the average age of 32 years old is below the nation’s average. Wichita Falls is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 48%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Wichita Falls offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 14 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Wichita Falls could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Texas if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. To help you find the best places to live in and around Wichita Falls, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like amenities, crime, cost of living, employment, housing and more.
Using data and statistics Wichita Falls has received a livability score of 66 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 66th percentile when compared to all other cities. If we dig a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Wichita Falls has higher than average scores for the following: housing (A-). Unfortunately for Wichita Falls, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: amenities (F), crime (F), education (D) and employment (D).
Finding affordable real estate and housing in Wichita Falls can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Wichita Falls is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Wichita Falls come in at $104,800, which is 26.6% lower than the Texas average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Wichita Falls, the home price to income ratio is 2.2, which is 15.4% lower than the Texas average.
| Statistic | Wichita Falls | Texas | National |
| Average one way commute | 14min | 26min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 73.0% | 80.3% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.8% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.5% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 9.4% | 1.6% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 5.3% | 4.3% | 4.6% |
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