© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Lufkin.
About
Life in Lufkin
If you're considering Lufkin, expect a small city that functions as a practical hub for East Texas rather than a destination in its own right. The job market is solid—unemployment sits around 4.6% with major employers spanning manufacturing, education, poultry processing, and retail, so finding work shouldn't be your bottleneck. Housing is genuinely affordable at a median home value of $179,600 and median rent around $1,079, which stretches further than most Texas metros.
Lufkin at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.0%
Foreign-Born
12.6%
Broadband Internet
91.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lufkin: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lufkin, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (72.3%), and 25.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.2%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.5%
of households
Married Couples
38.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.54
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 23% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Lufkin
In Lufkin, rent runs 23% below the TX average, and home values are 37% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,559
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $201,661 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above TX average
Unemployment in Lufkin
Unemployment in Lufkin is 0.4 percentage points higher than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lufkin Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.2 min avg
How Lufkin residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lufkin, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 72 mi
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG)
Regional airport · few flights33k passengers boarded in 2025
- 100 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M 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 34% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lufkin runs 34% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
441
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,089
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lufkin Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Angelina County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Angelina County, which includes Lufkin, the most common type is heat, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Heat | None reported |
| 2024 | 26 | Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 29 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 20 | Heat | None reported |
| 2021 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Heat | $60,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Heat | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Flash Flood | 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.
27 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Angelina County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 38 miles from Lufkin) is typically good — 326 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
326
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Polk County, TX (38 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lufkin has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/55°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
104
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
28
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 38°F | 4.66" |
| Feb | 64°F | 42°F | 3.88" |
| Mar | 71°F | 48°F | 4.21" |
| Apr | 78°F | 54°F | 3.69" |
| May | 85°F | 63°F | 4.64" |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 4.22" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 3.34" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.75" |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 3.94" |
| Oct | 80°F | 55°F | 4.73" |
| Nov | 69°F | 45°F | 4.53" |
| Dec | 61°F | 39°F | 4.68" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lufkin
Lufkin has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
18.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Woodland Heights Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
CHI St Lukes Health Memorial Lufkin
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Lufkin Llc
Psychiatric
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.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lufkin
Lufkin's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
23
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 63 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lufkin
Lufkin has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (63 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
63 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lufkin
Kurth Memorial Library
706 S Raguet St, Lufkin
Cities Near Lufkin
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lufkin?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lufkin FAQ
Is Lufkin, Texas affordable?⌄
Lufkin's median rent is $1,079/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $57,048/year. Median home value is $179,600.
Is Lufkin, Texas safe?⌄
Lufkin's violent crime rate was 441 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2089 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lufkin, Texas?⌄
Lufkin has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lufkin, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Lufkin is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,079/month and median household income is $57,048/year. The median home value is $179,600. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lufkin, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Lufkin is 17 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