Refugio County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Refugio’s story
Refugio in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →RefugioTX
A town of 2,766. Nearly 5.3% of it is conserved land.
Population
2,766
−6.2% since 2010
Typical home
$131K
−8.5% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
1,130
Balanced
What makes Refugio stand out
The 3 things Refugio does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#46 most walkable in TX
0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves
5.3% of the town is conserved land.
$131Ktypical home
Housing
$131K typical home
56% below the TX typical home
Down 8.5% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Refugio
Health
90% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than TX on 1 measures, worse on 14.
Refugio’s report card
Outdoors0 miof trails · 5.3% conservedHousing$131K56% below the TX typical homeCommute37 miHalf of commuters travel lessHealthDHealthier than 10% of U.S. townsSchoolsC+Beats 38% of TX districtsHazards84/100Very high risk of storm & flood damageClimate95°/45°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowSafetyB−Less crime than 48% of U.S. towns
Now in Refugio
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Residents weigh in
Refugio is #630 of 653 in TX for “Vacation-home towns”. Fair?
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Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Refugio. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
5.3% of Refugio is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
5.3%conserved
5.3%
conserved · 53 of 1,003 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#137
most conserved land in TX
#46
most walkable in TX
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lions City Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Refugio home is worth about $131K
The typical Refugio home is worth about $131,000, down 8.5% in a year, 56% below the Texas typical home.
$131KZillow home value
Typical home value
Refugio$131K
Texas$299K
−8.5%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Refugio
About one in 3 of Refugio’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Corpus Christi (11%), San Antonio (5%) and Victoria (4%). Half commute less than 37 miles.
29%work in town
Where working residents work
In Refugio29%
Corpus Christi11%
San Antonio5%
Victoria4%
Houston4%
37 mi
median commute distance
1,130
jobs based in Refugio
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Refugio beats the Texas average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 14.
DHealth Grade
26 measures vs. Texas
1 better11 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Refugio | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.6% | 74.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.2% | 12.5% |
Refugio County Memorial Hospital
0.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
15th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Refugio’s public schools outperform 38% of Texas districts
The public schools Refugio’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 62% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refugio El | PK–5 | 300 | B− |
| Refugio J H | 6–8 | 134 | B− |
| Refugio H S | 9–12 | 222 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with hurricanes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesCold wavesInland flooding
23
paid flood claims since 1978
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Refugio has warm winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 45°, and snow is almost unheard of.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter47–69°
Spring62–81°
Summer74–94°
Fall62–84°
Dec 2
typical first frost
Feb 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 48% of U.S. towns
Refugio reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 52% report less.
B−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Refugio3.9
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Refugio2.5
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
48th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
52nd
percentile among TX towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
4 places in Refugio on the National Register of Historic Places.
