Kilgore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marshall
Kilgore
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
45 · Bottom 41%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Marshall | Kilgore | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,825 | 13,470 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,089 | $66,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,078 | $27,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 801/sq mi | 724/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $141,400 | $171,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $949 | $1,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 31 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 104.8% | 93.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.3" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.12 | 14.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.7% | 35.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.1% | 41.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.5% | 69.4% | 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
Marshall
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail.
Kilgore
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Marshall, TX · Kilgore, TX · How this is calculated: methodology