Why visit Ballinger
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 7 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Ballinger Carnegie Library and First Presbyterian Church.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Ballinger
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ballinger
Ballinger is a city in Runnels County, Texas, United States. Its population was 3,619 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Runnels County. Downtown Ballinger features historic 1800s buildings with shops and restaurants.
From the Wikipedia article Ballinger, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks12
Ballinger Carnegie Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Ballinger, Runnels County, Texas
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes7
Beefmaster Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 0.8 mi
1608 North Broadway Street, Ballinger
Where to stay3
History
Ballinger was founded in 1886. It was established when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built a railway west from Brownwood. Runnels City, the original county seat, campaigned for selection as the new railroad terminal, but the future site of Ballinger, five miles to the south, offered a better water supply.
The 1.7-square-mile area was laid out in large lots, with a courthouse square and public park set aside for future use. Santa Fe officials offered free property to anyone who would move a home from Runnels City to Ballinger and to any church that would erect a building.
The town was named in honor of William Pitt Ballinger, a Galveston attorney and stockholder of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe.
In 1911, Ballinger opened the Ballinger Carnegie Library, built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie. By 1975, the building was in disrepair. The Ballinger Bicentennial Committee organized a renovation effort, and the library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Ballinger, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.3 mi
2014 Hutchings Avenue, Ballinger
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Ballinger Junior High and High School
School · 1.5 mi
2107 North Broadway Street, Ballinger
Healthcare3
Ballinger Hospital Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
308 North 3rd Street, Ballinger
Map of Ballinger
49 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 31°F | 1.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 63°F | 35°F | 1.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Mar | 70°F | 43°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 79°F | 51°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 86°F | 61°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 68°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 96°F | 72°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 95°F | 71°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 64°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 53°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 42°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 60°F | 33°F | 1.0 in | 0.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ballinger 2 Nw Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Runnels County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-03-14: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2007-06-29: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Coleman Municipal Airport (COM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 33 miles away.
- Winters 15 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Paint Rock 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Miles 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Bronte 22 mi northwest, about 36 min by car
- Coleman 32 mi east, about 51 min by car
- Robert Lee 33 mi west, about 53 min by car
- Tuscola 34 mi north, about 55 min by car
- San Angelo 36 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Grape Creek 36 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Abilene 51 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ballinger Texas, CletusDitto, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ballinger Texas City Hall 2016, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Ballinger Texas Post Office Plaque, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Ballinger Texas Post Office, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Carnegie library ballinger, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Van Pelt House 2009, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Edwin and Hattie Day House, David Radcliff, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Runnels courthouse 2009, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Runnels County Texas Sheriffs Office Plaque, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- OldeParkHotel2016, Vami IV, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Runnels County Texas Sheriffs Office, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
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