Merkel, TX housing market
The typical Merkel home is worth about $208,000, up 7.1% in a year, 31% below the Texas typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Merkel compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Merkel at a glance
Only 1 sale in May 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Merkel | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $126,000 | $190,000 |
| 2018 | $127,000 | $202,000 |
| 2019 | $134,000 | $214,000 |
| 2020 | $132,000 | $223,000 |
| 2021 | $149,000 | $242,000 |
| 2022 | $177,000 | $286,000 |
| 2023 | $186,000 | $313,000 |
| 2024 | $188,000 | $311,000 |
| 2025 | $198,000 | $311,000 |
| 2026 | $194,000 | $303,000 |
| August 2026 | $208,000 | $299,000 |
12 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 12 new homes in Merkel in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $3.6 million to build. That's 4.4 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Texas (8.1). Over the past 10 years, Merkel has permitted 23 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Merkel's population fell by 119 even though 8 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Texas: 2.6 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2025 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $3.6 million |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $250,000 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $275,000 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $228,000 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $228,000 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $228,000 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $456,000 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $193,000 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $179,000 |
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $176,000 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $160,000 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 4 | 2 | 2 | $410,000 |
| 2005 | 4 | 2 | 2 | $410,000 |
| 2004 | 4 | 2 | 2 | $410,000 |
| 2003 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $385,000 |
| 2002 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $285,000 |
How Merkel ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
2.8 years of income
The typical Merkel home costs about 2.8 years of the town's median household income, less than across Texas (3.8 years).
How Merkel ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,460
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Merkel is $1,460 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Merkel pay a median of $1,058, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 24% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,160 · 4 bedrooms $2,270
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (79536; Abilene, TX MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Merkel
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.