Wichita Falls, Texas, is the closest major city to Sheppard AFB. Wichita Falls has about 105,000 people, and is in Wichita County, which has a population of about 131,000 people. Other nearby small communities include Iowa Park (6,000) and Burkburnett (11,000).

It is about 5 miles from downtown Wichita Falls to Sheppard AFB; this takes about 12 minutes to commute; Iowa Park is about 18 minutes away, and Burkburnett about 19 minutes.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average apartment rent in the Wichita Falls area ranges from $400 to $700 per month, with a median of about $500 per month.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for a house in Wichita Falls is about $132,000, compared to $177,000 for Texas.

Short Description of the Area: Wichita Falls is a mid-sized Texas city on the northern border of the state, only a few miles south of Oklahoma.

Climate and Weather: The Wichita Falls area climate is variable between the dry west and humid east, and switches between extremes. Winter temperatures range from the mid50s to low 30s and summer temperatures range from the high 90s to low 70s. Summers and winters are relatively dry, falls and springs wetter, and the air can be very humid, especially in late spring and early summer. Springs and summers can see thunderstorms and tornadoes; alternately, heat waves can last weeks - this area has some of the hottest temperatures east of New Mexico, and recently has experienced drought. Winters are generally fairly mild, with some cold snaps.