Why visit Merkel
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Merkel
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Merkel
Merkel is a city in Taylor County, Texas, United States. Its population was 2,471 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Abilene metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Merkel, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes10
Where to stay3
History
Around 1870, when the Texas and Pacific Railway was built, the city was founded as Windmill Town. In 1881, it was renamed as Merkel in honor of the first settler in this area, S. M. Merkel, from Germany. In 1882, the first mercantile store and in 1883, the first post office opened.
From the History section of Merkel, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare1
Map of Merkel
32 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 31°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 33°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 69°F | 41°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 49°F | 1.9 in |
| May | 85°F | 59°F | 3.4 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 67°F | 3.2 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 70°F | 2.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 69°F | 2.9 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 62°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 51°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 40°F | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 33°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Merkel 12 Sw (12 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
Taylor County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2022-05-18: Mesquite Heat Fire (Fire)
- 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)
- 2009-03-05: Tuscola Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dyess Air Force Base (DYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Abilene 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Anson 21 mi north, about 33 min by car
- Sweetwater 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Clyde 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
- Hamlin 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
- Baird 36 mi east, about 58 min by car
- Bronte 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Albany 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Colorado City 50 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Ballinger 51 mi south, 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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Merkel Street in Merkel Texas 3-15-2014, Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.