CountyScore

Hill County

Texas · TX

#165 in Texas
61.1
County Score

County Report Card

About Hill County, Texas

Well Above the National Baseline

Hill County's composite score of 68.1 significantly exceeds the national median of 50.0, placing it among the stronger-performing American counties. This reflects strong fundamentals in tax policy and housing costs.

Just Ahead of Texas Average

Hill scores 68.1 versus Texas's state average of 66.8, positioning it just above the state median in livability. The margin is narrow but meaningful, reflecting solid all-around performance.

Strong Tax and Cost Profile

Hill County delivers a tax score of 67.6 and cost score of 79.4, backed by an effective tax rate of 1.234% and median home value of $163,100. Monthly rent of $929 makes it an attractive option for cost-conscious Texans.

Income Levels and Data Limitations

The income score of 24.6 reflects median household income of just $63,147, limiting economic opportunities for higher-wage earners. Safety, health, school, and water data gaps prevent a fuller assessment.

For Value-Seeking Rural Texans

Hill County appeals to retirees, remote workers, and families prioritizing low living costs and tax efficiency over career advancement. It's a solid middle-ground county—not flashy, but fundamentally sound.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax67.6Cost79.4SafetyComing SoonHealth53.8SchoolsComing SoonIncome24.6Risk27WaterComing Soon
🏛67.6
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠79.4
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼24.6
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤53.8
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡27
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Hill County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Seminole County
Florida
61.1
Median income: $83,030
Ford County
Kansas
61.1
Median income: $70,495
Seward County
Kansas
61.1
Median income: $62,269
Stevens County
Kansas
61.1
Median income: $61,909
Frederick County
Maryland
61.1
Median income: $120,458

Deep Dives

Hill County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Hill County

via TaxByCounty

Hill County taxes slightly above average

At 1.234%, Hill County's effective tax rate modestly exceeds the national median of 1.199%, placing it around the 52nd percentile. The median property tax of $2,012 on a $163,100 home sits well below the national median tax of $2,690.

Slightly above Texas average

Hill County's 1.234% effective rate sits just above Texas's 1.276% state average, making it relatively competitive statewide. The median tax of $2,012 falls below the state median of $2,193, reflecting this county's lower home valuations.

Mid-range among regional counties

Hill County's 1.234% rate places it squarely between lower-taxing Henderson (0.981%) and higher-taxing Hays (1.729%). It's the middle ground for Central Texas property owners seeking moderate tax burdens.

What $163,100 home costs yearly

A median-priced Hill County home generates $2,012 in annual property taxes under standard conditions, or $2,671 with a mortgage. At roughly $168 per month, it represents a moderate tax burden for the region.

Verify your assessed value

Hill County homeowners should confirm their assessments match current market conditions—rural properties especially tend to be overvalued. A formal appeal based on recent comparable sales often results in meaningful tax reductions.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Hill County

via CostByCounty

Hill County pulls ahead of national average

Hill County renters spend just 17.6% of income on rent, beating the national benchmark of around 15-16% but remaining very affordable. Despite median income ($63,147) falling short of the national median ($74,755), low rents keep housing accessible here.

Better than Texas on affordability

Hill County's 17.6% rent-to-income ratio outperforms Texas's 18.1% state average, landing it in the more affordable half of the state's counties. The $929 median rent sits just below the state average, reflecting a balanced rural-to-suburban economy.

Sweet spot between rural and affordable

Hill's $929 rent is cheaper than Henderson ($978), Hopkins ($1,038), and Hays ($1,417), and its 17.6% rent burden is the best among this group. Only Hemphill and Hockley rival Hill's affordability, both further from urban job markets.

Housing takes $1,730 monthly

Combined rent ($929) and owner costs ($801) total roughly $1,730 per month—about 27% of the $63,147 median income. This leaves renters and homeowners with breathing room compared to national and state averages.

Gateway to Hill Country affordability

Hill County offers a rare combination: proximity to Austin's job market, Central Texas lifestyle, and rent that stays under $1,000 monthly. If you're seeking mid-sized Texas living without mega-city prices, Hill's $163,100 median homes and 17.6% rent burden make strong sense.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Hill County

via IncomeByCounty

Hill County below national income median

Hill County's median household income of $63,147 falls $11,608 short of the U.S. median of $74,755, representing a 15.5% shortfall. The county ranks in the lower-middle tier of American communities by earning power.

Slightly below Texas state average

Hill County's median household income of $63,147 trails Texas's state average of $64,737 by $1,590, placing it marginally below the state midpoint. Per capita income of $31,410 runs about 5.4% below the state average of $33,197.

Mid-range earner in central region

Hill County's $63,147 median income is comparable to Henderson County ($63,955) and Hopkins County ($64,725), but lags Hays County ($85,827) and Hood County ($86,802). The county reflects a more rural, historically agricultural economy than nearby growth corridors.

Housing costs well-controlled

Hill County's rent-to-income ratio of 17.6% is among the lowest in this sample, meaning housing consumes less than 1 in 5.7 dollars of gross income. Median home values of $163,100 remain quite affordable relative to household incomes.

Affordable housing enables saving

Hill County's low housing cost burden of 17.6% provides households room to save and invest beyond shelter needs. Consider automating contributions to retirement accounts and exploring accessible investment products to grow wealth steadily over time.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Hill County

via HealthByCounty

Hill County lags on life expectancy

At 72.6 years, Hill County residents live 1.9 years less than the U.S. average of 74.5 years, and 22.3% report poor or fair health. These figures place the county among the lower-performing regions in the nation.

Below Texas average in health outcomes

Hill County's 72.6-year life expectancy trails the Texas average of 74.3 years, and its 19.6% uninsured rate hovers near the state average of 19.8%. The county ranks among Texas's lower-performing regions on life expectancy.

Hill County struggles against better-off peers

Hill County's 72.6-year life expectancy lags Hays County (79.4 years) by nearly 7 years and Hood County (76.0 years) by 3.4 years. With just 25 primary care providers per 100K, the county faces the second-lowest provider availability in this comparison.

Severe shortage of primary care access

Hill County has only 25 primary care providers per 100,000 residents and 42 mental health providers per 100,000—the lowest in this dataset. At 19.6% uninsured, many residents cannot afford to visit even the scarce doctors available.

Enroll to access limited local providers

With only 25 primary care providers per 100K in Hill County, having insurance is essential to get any care at all. Visit healthcare.gov or call your county health department to explore Medicaid and marketplace plans available to you.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Hill County

via RiskByCounty

Hill County's risk moderately exceeds national norm

Hill County's composite risk score of 72.96 places it in the "Relatively Low" category but still above the national average. The central Texas county faces concentrated exposure to severe weather hazards that define its overall profile.

Above-average risk for Texas

With a score of 72.96 compared to Texas's state average of 49.00, Hill County ranks as higher-risk than typical for the state. The county's location in central Texas makes it vulnerable to tornado and wildfire activity.

Mid-range risk in central Texas region

Hill County's 72.96 score places it between Hood County (70.52) and Hays County (90.55) in the central Texas cluster. The county faces higher overall risk than most state peers but less severe exposure than Hays County to the east.

Tornadoes and wildfires are top concerns

Tornado risk of 89.79 and wildfire risk of 82.19 are Hill County's principal hazards, creating a spring severe weather and drought-fire vulnerability. Flood risk of 45.90 is notably lower than adjacent counties, but still meaningful.

Prioritize wind and wildfire protection

Hill County residents should ensure homeowners policies provide comprehensive wind/hail coverage and consider wildfire protection measures like defensible landscaping. Verify your insurance covers tornado and straight-line wind damage, which are your area's most frequent threats.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.