Kilgore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kilgore
Henderson
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs96 · Top 17%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Kilgore | Henderson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,470 | 13,385 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,295 | $61,285 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,812 | $27,101 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 724/sq mi | 1,116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,600 | $173,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,010 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 31 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 93.8% | 500.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.3" | 50.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.12 | 13.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.7% | 34.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.3% | 38.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 69.4% | 61.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Kilgore
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Henderson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Kilgore, TX · Henderson, TX · How this is calculated: methodology