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Cost of living, pay and housing

31.91° N · 99.02° W · GEOID 4872902

Thunderbird Bay

Brown County, Texas · part of the Brownwood, TX metro

Limited data population under 5,000

TexasThunderbird Bay, TXThunderbird BayThunderbird Bay

The short answer

Thunderbird Bay is home to 702 people. Median household income is $48,350 a year and median rent is $1,158 a month, 28.7% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $65,700, about 1.4x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,158
15% below the median place
Median household income
$48,350
40% below the median place
Median home value
$65,700
79% below the median place
Unemployment
5.3%
8% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Thunderbird Bay

  • Between the 2020 and 2023 surveys, household income rose 5.6% a year while rent rose -10.7%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 415 Texas places.
  • Owning with a mortgage costs about $298 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 98% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 413 Texas places.
  • The median home is valued at $65,700, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 415 Texas places.
  • 58% of homes stand vacant, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 339 Texas places.
  • The median rent takes 28.7% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 92% of places its size.
01

Moving to Thunderbird Bay

Brown County gains about 8.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,795
Moved out1,552
Net+243

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Taylor County, TX9288+4
Coleman County, TX7866+12
Comanche County, TX7255+17
Eastland County, TX54
Mills County, TX50

Within Texas, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within TexasOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$72K
Leavers$56K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Brown County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
8.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.9% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Brown County report $72,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $55,900, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$46,300 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,158 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $860 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $65,700.
Getting to work
19 minutes each way on average; 4.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Trotwood, OH matches it on character. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people5
8.3
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out5
$55,869
21% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
8.5%
48% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure8.5%48% above
Moved from another state1County figure1.9%5% below
Net movers per 1,000 people5County figure8.3above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in5County figure$71,9662% above
Income of households moving out5County figure$55,86921% below
02

What it costs to live here

Owner costs with a mortgage is $860, 54% below the median place.

Thunderbird Bay28.7%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$46,320
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
28.7%
41% above the median place
Home price to income
1.4x
64% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
29%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$34,100
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Thunderbird Bay, $1,158 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Thunderbird Bay.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Thunderbird Bay? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$860
54% below the median place
Vacant homes1
58.1%
above the median place (median 7.1%)
Median home value1
$65,700
79% below the median place
All 14 cost and housing measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,15815% below
Rent to income128.7%41% above
Property tax rate10.8%16% below
Home price to income11.4x64% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,13730% below
Property tax paid (median)1$49985% below
Median home value1$65,70079% below
Home prices, 1-year change3County figure4.7%46% above
Home prices, 5-year change3County figure55.8%8% above
Homeownership169.2%4% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure56.5%12% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$86054% below
Vacant homes158.1%above (median 7.1%)
Median year built119860% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$48,350
40% below the median place
Income per person1
$33,324
17% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$48,35040% below
Income per person1$33,32417% below
Unemployment1County figure5.3%8% above
Average annual pay4County figure$50,35624% below
Pay growth, 1 year4County figure4.6%24% above
Jobs4County figure15,57490% below
Poverty rate1County figure15.3%42% above
Mean commute1County figure19 min24% below
Works from home1County figure4.7%62% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

No health insurance is 25.1%, 292% above the median place.

No health insurance1
25.1%
292% above the median place
Household size1
2.0
19% below the median place
High school or higher1
97.6%
6% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17026646th largest
Median age145.817% above
Bachelor's or higher1County figure20.2%37% below
High school or higher197.6%6% above
Household size12.019% below
Born abroad1County figure4.0%54% below
No health insurance125.1%292% above
Homes with broadband193.4%1% above
05

Life in Thunderbird Bay

7 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.1 +1%
Shops36.2 +19%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.7 +15%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.7 −12%
Child care centers2.1 −9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher8
12.6
18% below the median place
Shops per 10k6
36.2
19% above the median place
Public schools8
22
144% above the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools8County figure22144% above
Public school students8County figure6,20127% above
Students per teacher8County figure12.618% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k6County figure21.11% above
Shops per 10k6County figure36.219% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k6County figure4.715% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k6County figure17.712% below
Child care centers per 10k6County figure2.19% below
National Register listings7County figure746% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 95°F, 10% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Thunderbird Bay. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high9
95°F
10% above the median place
Natural hazard risk10
64.9
30% below the median place
Average temperature9
65°F
19% above the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureThunderbird BayAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high9County figure95°F10% above
January average low9County figure34°F34% above
Average temperature9County figure65°F19% above
Annual precipitation9County figure29.4 in33% below
Natural hazard risk10County figure64.930% below
Hurricane risk10County figure45.036% below
Tornado risk10County figure70.513% below
Wildfire risk10County figure86.241% above
Heat wave risk10County figure61.532% below
08

Thunderbird Bay in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 27% of the median income in 2030, down from 29% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,158/mo (2023)$1,410/mo$1,140 to $1,740/mo+2.8%
Median household income$48,350 (2024)$62,000$52,000 to $73,000+4.2%
Median home value$65,700 (2024)$84,000$61,000 to $115,000+4.1%

The median home would be worth 1.4 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Thunderbird Bay

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Trotwood, OH$1,031$50,113Compare
South Bradenton, FL$1,244$48,315Compare
Brooksville, FL$1,137$54,926Compare
Moss Point, MS$1,075$44,296Compare
Moss Point, MSBrooksville, FLSouth Bradenton, FLTrotwood, OHThunderbird Bay, TXThunderbird BayTrotwoodSouth BradentonBrooksvilleMoss PointThunderbird BayTrotwoodSouth BradentonBrooksville

Common questions

Is Thunderbird Bay a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2020 and 2023 surveys, household income rose 5.6% a year while rent rose -10.7%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 415 Texas places. Owning with a mortgage costs about $298 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 98% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 413 Texas places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Thunderbird Bay expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 28.7% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $65,700.

What salary do you need to live in Thunderbird Bay?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $46,320 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Thunderbird Bay?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Trotwood, OH, South Bradenton, FL, Brooksville, FL and Moss Point, MS.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  4. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  5. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  6. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  7. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  8. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  9. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  10. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Thunderbird Bay with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Thunderbird Bay itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/thunderbird-bay-texas

Citytistics. “Thunderbird Bay, Texas.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/thunderbird-bay-texas/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.