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Living in
Dumas.
About
Life in Dumas
If you're considering a move to Dumas, know that you're looking at a genuinely affordable, stable small city in the Texas Panhandle with a lower cost of living than most of the country. The median home value hovers around $156,300 and median rent sits at $1,029 a month, which means your dollars stretch further here than in larger Texas metros—a real advantage if you're budget-conscious or want to build equity without the price shock. The job market centers heavily on the meatpacking industry through the JBS USA plant in nearby Cactus, which processes thousands of cattle daily and employs a significant chunk of the region; the unemployment rate stays low at 3%, though those jobs aren't always glamorous or high-wage, and the workforce there is predominantly immigrant, which shapes local culture and community.
Dumas at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.2%
Foreign-Born
25.1%
Broadband Internet
88.5%
of households
Population Growth
+2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Dumas: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dumas, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (63.0%), and 40.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.4%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.0%
of households
Married Couples
45.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.96
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 27% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Dumas
In Dumas, rent runs 27% below the TX average, and home values are 45% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
11.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,293
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $190,061 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below TX average
Unemployment in Dumas
Unemployment in Moore County, which includes Dumas, is 1.2 percentage points lower than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Dumas: Moore County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Moore County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Dumas Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.8 min avg
How Dumas residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dumas, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 47 mi
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA)
Regional airport · few flights402k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 63% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Dumas runs 63% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
120.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,131.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Dumas Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
61.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Moore County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Moore County, which includes Dumas, the most common type is high wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | High Wind | $466,000 |
| 2024 | 22 | High Wind | $4,000 |
| 2023 | 24 | High Wind | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 36 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 20 | High Wind | $34,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
8 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Moore County, county-wide
Air Quality16 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Potter County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 32 miles from Dumas) is typically good — 301 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
16
Good Days
301
per year
Moderate Days
19
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Potter County, TX (32 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dumas has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
51°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.7"
Annual Snowfall
9.1"
Hot Days/Year
73
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
124
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
47
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 22°F | 0.39" |
| Feb | 53°F | 24°F | 0.40" |
| Mar | 62°F | 32°F | 0.98" |
| Apr | 70°F | 39°F | 1.38" |
| May | 79°F | 50°F | 1.91" |
| Jun | 89°F | 60°F | 2.27" |
| Jul | 92°F | 65°F | 2.72" |
| Aug | 90°F | 64°F | 2.99" |
| Sep | 83°F | 56°F | 1.66" |
| Oct | 72°F | 43°F | 1.80" |
| Nov | 59°F | 31°F | 0.52" |
| Dec | 49°F | 23°F | 0.68" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dumas
Dumas has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
17.3%
of residents
Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dumas
Dumas's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 13.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dumas
Dumas has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
23 mi awayAlibates Flint Quarries National Monument
National Monument
25 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dumas
Killgore Memorial Library
124 S Bliss Ave, Dumas
Cities Near Dumas
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dumas?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dumas FAQ
Is Dumas, Texas affordable?⌄
Dumas's median rent is $1,028/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,788/year. Median home value is $156,300.
Is Dumas, Texas safe?⌄
Dumas's violent crime rate was 121 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1131 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Dumas, Texas?⌄
Moore County, which includes Dumas, has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dumas, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Dumas is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,028/month and median household income is $63,788/year. The median home value is $156,300. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dumas, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Dumas is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from