Odessa, TX
Census place 4853388 · pop 115,322
A Permian Basin oil town immortalized as the football-obsessed setting of 'Friday Night Lights.'
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
25.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
19.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
31.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.39% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
59.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$73,472 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,559/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$223,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Odessa: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Odessa, TX a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Odessa scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is uninsured adults. Texas overall ranks #38 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Odessa, TX expensive to live in?
- Odessa has a median home value of $223,100 and typical rent around $1,559/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Odessa, TX?
- Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (25.4%) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Odessa, TX best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (36 AQI) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: A Permian Basin oil town immortalized as the football-obsessed setting of 'Friday Night Lights.'
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.