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Living in
Sweetwater.
About
Life in Sweetwater
Sweetwater is a community of 10,484 people in Texas. The median household income is $44,892, median rent runs about $907 per month, and median home values are around $81,000. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Sweetwater at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
28.1%
Foreign-Born
4.6%
Broadband Internet
81.5%
of households
Population Growth
-4.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Sweetwater: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sweetwater, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (83.2%), and 23.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.5%
of households
Married Couples
31.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 35% below TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Sweetwater
In Sweetwater, rent runs 35% below the TX average, and home values are 72% below the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,170
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $118,581 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below TX average
Unemployment in Sweetwater
Unemployment in Nolan County, which includes Sweetwater, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the TX average.
Unemployment rate
Sweetwater: Nolan County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Nolan County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Sweetwater Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.1 min avg
How Sweetwater residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sweetwater, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 42 mi
Abilene Regional Airport (ABI)
Regional airport · few flights106k 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 47% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sweetwater runs 47% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
485.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,277.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sweetwater Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
37.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nolan County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nolan County, which includes Sweetwater, the most common type is drought, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 9 | Hail | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 15 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 10 | Hail | $2.0M |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 12 | Flash Flood | $1.1M |
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.
100 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Nolan County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate93°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sweetwater has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
21.2"
Annual Snowfall
2.3"
Hot Days/Year
97
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
57
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
43
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 31°F | 0.98" |
| Feb | 60°F | 34°F | 0.99" |
| Mar | 69°F | 42°F | 1.39" |
| Apr | 78°F | 50°F | 1.49" |
| May | 85°F | 60°F | 2.79" |
| Jun | 91°F | 68°F | 3.12" |
| Jul | 95°F | 71°F | 1.77" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 2.20" |
| Sep | 86°F | 63°F | 2.13" |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 2.22" |
| Nov | 65°F | 41°F | 1.15" |
| Dec | 57°F | 33°F | 0.98" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sweetwater
Sweetwater has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.9%
of residents
Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital
Acute Care 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.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sweetwater
Sweetwater's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 14.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sweetwater
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Sweetwater
County-City Library
206 Elm St, Sweetwater
Cities Near Sweetwater
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sweetwater?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sweetwater FAQ
Is Sweetwater, Texas affordable?⌄
Sweetwater's median rent is $907/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $44,892/year. Median home value is $80,800.
Is Sweetwater, Texas safe?⌄
Sweetwater's violent crime rate was 485 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1278 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sweetwater, Texas?⌄
Nolan County, which includes Sweetwater, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sweetwater, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Sweetwater is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $907/month and median household income is $44,892/year. The median home value is $80,800. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sweetwater, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Sweetwater is 16 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