Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School · National Register of Historic Places
Palestine’s story
180 years in pictures
17 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1846Palestine is settled
PalestineTX
A town of 19,136, settled in 1846. Home to 17 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: TourismPTX · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
19,136
−0.9% since 2010
Typical home
$202K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
35.7
years
Jobs based here
8,916
Balanced
What makes Palestine stand out
The 3 things Palestine does most differently from other towns.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church and SchoolHistory
Settled in 1846
17 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 180 years.
Outdoors
#96 most conserved land in TX
2.8 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
7.2% of the town is conserved land.
B−School Grade
Schools
Better than 52%
of TX districts
School Grade B−.
Palestine’s report card
Outdoors3 miof trails · 7.2% conservedCommute40 miHalf of commuters travel lessSchoolsB−Beats 52% of TX districtsHousing$202K33% below the TX typical homeHealthDHealthier than 11% of U.S. townsHazards10/100Very low risk of storm & flood damageSafetyC−Less crime than 24% of U.S. townsClimate94°/37°Summer high · winter low · 0″ snow
Now in Palestine
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Palestine is #159 of 170 in TX for “Losing population”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Palestine’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →84°
Partly Cloudy
H 88° · L 70°
Local news
All →- Palestine vs Pine Tree - Boys Varsity Football 10/02/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
- Palestine recognized as Tourism Friendly Texas Certified CommunityPalestineherald.com · Sep 21
- Man hospitalized, suspect in custody after shooting in Leon County gas station parking lotKBTX News 3 · Sep 14
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Palestine. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
7.2% of Palestine is conserved land
2.8 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves.
7.2%conserved
7.2%
conserved · 907 of 12,543 acres
2.8 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
#96
most conserved land in TX
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Steven Bennett Park | 0.6 mi | 11 |
| 2. Reagan Park | 0.5 mi | 15 |
| 3. City Lake Park | 0.3 mi | 280 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Palestine
About one in 3 of Palestine’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Tyler (6%), Dallas (4%) and Houston (3%). Half commute less than 40 miles.
34%work in town
Where working residents work
In Palestine34%
Tyler6%
Dallas4%
Houston3%
Elkhart2%
40 mi
median commute distance
8,916
jobs based in Palestine
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Palestine’s public schools outperform 52% of Texas districts
The public schools Palestine’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 52% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southside El | 2–3 | 442 | C+ |
| Westwood El | 3–6 | 404 | C− |
| Northside Pri | K–1 | 400 | Not graded |
| Westwood Pri | PK–2 | 378 | Not graded |
| Christian Heritage Academy Private | K–8 | 75 | |
| Story Int | 4–6 | 670 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduationAll 13 schools →
Housing
A typical Palestine home is worth about $202K
The typical Palestine home is worth about $202,000, up 2.3% in a year, 33% below the Texas typical home.
$202KZillow home value
Typical home value
Palestine$202K
Texas$299K
Market temperature
63
days on market
84.9%
sale-to-list price
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
22
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 11% of U.S. towns
Palestine beats the Texas average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
DHealth Grade
26 measures vs. Texas
1 better10 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Palestine | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.6% | 74.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 5.7% |
Palestine Regional Medical Center
1.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
16th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with tornadoes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 10% of U.S. communities.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingCold waves
4
paid flood claims since 1996
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 24% of U.S. towns
Palestine reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less.
C−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Palestine4.6
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Palestine15.8
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
24th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
21st
percentile among TX towns
92
violent crimes reported in 2025
314
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Palestine has mild winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of.
94°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–60°
Spring55–77°
Summer72–93°
Fall56–78°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 23
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Landmarks
17 places in Palestine on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Palestine
City in Texas
Palestine ( PAL-ist-een) is a city in and the seat of Anderson County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was named after Palestine, Illinois, by preacher Daniel Parker, who had migrated from that town. The city had a 2020 U.S. census population of 18,544, making it the sixth-largest incorporated municipality in Northeast Texas by population. Palestine is a relatively small city located in the Piney Woods, equidistant from the major cities of Dallas, Houston, and Shreveport, Louisiana. It is notable for its natural environment, and has a notable dogwood blooming season. It has 23 historical sites on the National Register of Historic Places, and was the western terminus of the historic Texas Stat…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1846
- Population
- 18,544
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 482 ft
- ZIP code
- 75801, 75802, 75803
- Area code
- 903
More about Palestine
Still missing for Palestine:archive photosupcoming events