Smiley is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States. Its population was 475 at the 2020 census, down from 549 at the 2010 census. Smiley was established in the early 1870s, when trader and sheepherder John Smiley settled by a long, narrow lake that became known as Smiley's, Smileys, or Smiley Lake. The city is served by the Nixon-Smiley Consolidated Independent School District.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code78159

Area code830

Living in Smiley

Housing in Smiley

$287K▼ 5.2% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Smiley home is worth about $287,000, down 5.2% in a year, close to the Texas typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Smiley

—

Not graded

Smiley has fewer than 1,000 residents. At that size one or two incidents swing the numbers so much that a grade wouldn't be fair, so we show the counts instead.

Violent0

Property0

Reported in 20250

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Smiley

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Smiley for work: only 0% work in town. The top destinations are Gonzales (12%), San Antonio (11%) and Nixon (9%). Half commute less than 46 miles.

Gonzales

12%

San Antonio

11%

Nixon

Austin

0%Work in townlive and work in Smiley 46 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 21Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Smiley →

Health in Smiley

Compared with Texas

1better than TX·12worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 13 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▲ 2▼ 4 close Mind 2▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

78%More adults treating high blood pressureTX 74.1% · better 21.5%More older adults who have lost all their teethTX 12.5% · worse

Care nearby

Cuero Regional HospitalCuero · 24.1 mi · ER

Community Health Centers of South Central TexasGonzales · 19.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Smiley · CMS · HRSAHealth in Smiley →

Natural hazards in Smiley

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 46% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌀 Hurricanes🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Smiley flood?no paid flood claims on record 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Smiley

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Smiley →

Climate in Smiley

Full climate →

Smiley has warm winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 96°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of.

66° / 43°Winter

81° / 59°Spring

95° / 73°Summer

83° / 59°Fall

How much snow does Smiley get?Almost none.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 22, with the last in spring around Mar 7.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.9° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Smiley →

Schools in Smiley

All Smiley schools →

School Grade B

The public schools Smiley’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 60% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictNIXON-SMILEY CISDSchools5

Nixon Smiley El B-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 438 students Nixon-Smiley PaceSecondary · Grades 10 · 1 students Nixon-Smiley Cisd DaepOther · Grades 4–10 · 2 students New Alternative SchoolGrades M Runge DaepGrades M

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within TX. Ratings are from neighbors.