Long ago the railroad gave Longview its start in the 1870s, and today it is the small-scale Dallas of East Texas, a city of about 80,000 in the Piney Woods. It still works as the region's shopping, medical and business center. Day to day it feels like a steady, practical Texas city with pine trees, a downtown that is slowly reviving, and chain retail along Loop 281.
Visitors come for the Great Texas Balloon Race in June, walks at the Arboretum and Teague Park, fishing at Lake Lamond, or a day trip to Caddo Lake. Living here is affordable, with housing well below the national average. The tradeoffs are crime above the national average (mostly car break-ins, so lock up), hot humid summers, and spring thunderstorms with some tornado risk. Dallas is about two hours west.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
The Great Texas Balloon Race weekend in June and holiday weekends
Nearest airport
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), 10 miles southeast (limited commercial service to Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.7/10Good
Connector Score8.4
9 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety5.0
About 600 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370. Data-based
Affordability7.5
Cost of living index about 90, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation9.0
Reachable by: road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness7.0
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability7.0
A walkable downtown. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.1
Known for 7 kinds of attraction, with 6 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.8
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.6
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.5
Known for mountains & hiking, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value5.5
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.5
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.7
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.4
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.9
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
9 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience8.0
Intercity train service, with 7 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience7.3
Intercity buses, with 11 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Hub of East Texas; Home of the Great Texas Balloon Race; Longview Lobos country; Gateway to the Piney Woods
Founded
1870 founded (Longview town platted when the Texas and Pacific Railway arrived, Gregg County); 1871 incorporated
Languages
English; Spanish; small communities speaking Vietnamese and Chinese
Airports
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG), about 10 miles southeast (limited commercial service to Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston); Shreveport Regional (SHV), about 60 miles east; Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), about 125 miles west
Tipping
Restaurants 18-20%; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-5 per bag; food delivery 15-20%; counter service optional
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Longview City Circle
For people considering Longview, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 83,236 (July 1, 2025) and land area 55.83 sq mi are from Census QuickFacts; median value and rent from Census ACS 2020-2024. Metro 297,315 (2025) is a Wikipedia-cited estimate for the four-county Longview MSA (Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Upshur). Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, tipping, cost-of-living index, airport distances, crime figures and 1BR rent are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass (lower confidence). Official URLs found via search but not load-tested.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
7 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown Longview
Revitalizing
Pine Tree
Suburban
Spring Hill
Residential
Broughton Park
Historic
Alpine Heights
Older
Judson Road corridor
Retail
Foxwood
Residential
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Loop 281 and Judson Road corridor for chain hotels and shopping
Downtown Longview for a walkable base
near I-20 exits for easy highway access. Tiers: budget motels along I-20 and Highway 80
mid-range chains (Hampton, Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard) near Loop 281
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$85/day
Lodging about $70 a night
Mid-range
$130/day
Lodging about $115 a night
Luxury
$216/day
Lodging about $185 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
90 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
$1,000a month
Research notes
Roughly 88-92 versus US=100 (approximate, common indices; not verified in this pass); typical 1BR rent about $900-1,100 per month (Census median gross rent for all units $1,101)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night: budget $55-85; mid-range $90-140; luxury $150-220 (few true luxury options). Peak season is the Great Texas Balloon Race weekend in June and holiday weekends; oil and gas business travel keeps weekday rates steady. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $50-95
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
5.0
Fair · Data-based
About 600 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370.
Safety overview
Violent crime rate is above the US average (roughly 500-700 per 100k, approximate) and property crime is also above average; vehicle break-ins and theft are the main visitor risk, so lock cars and hide valuables. Hospitals: Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center, Longview Regional Medical Center. Hazards: severe thunderstorms and tornado risk (spring), flash flooding, hot humid summers (95F+), occasional winter ice storms, high pollen counts in spring
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Some blocks in the older central and north Longview areas and along parts of Highway 80 and Eastman Road have higher property and street crime; use ordinary caution at night there. Downtown, Pine Tree and the Loop 281 retail area are generally comfortable for visitors
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
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