What 76043 Actually Covers
Glen Rose is Somervell County’s only incorporated city, and 76043 is the zip assigned to it and to the unincorporated land surrounding it. Two nearby communities that regularly show up in “Glen Rose area” searches, Nemo and Rainbow, carry their own zip codes.
| Zip | Place | Distance from Glen Rose | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76043 | Glen Rose | – | The city plus surrounding unincorporated Somervell County land |
| 76070 | Nemo | about 8 miles | Separate zip; inside Glen Rose ISD but not inside 76043 |
| 76077 | Rainbow | about 7 miles | Separate zip; higher median home value than 76043 |
| 76690 | Walnut Springs | about 9 miles | Separate zip; sometimes grouped into “Glen Rose area” listings |
A property listed as “near Glen Rose” can sit in any of these zips. If your search is specifically for 76043, filter listings by zip code rather than by city name. (Zip-Codes.com county data; USNaviguide boundary map)
Is 76043 the same as Nemo and Rainbow?No. Nemo (76070) and Rainbow (76077) are their own zip codes several miles from Glen Rose. Both fall inside Glen Rose Independent School District, which is why they get folded into “Glen Rose” searches, but they are not part of 76043.
Current Market Snapshot
| Metric | 76043 | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Population | about 7,281 | Census ACS estimate |
| Median household income | about $75,764 | Near the national median |
| Median home value (existing stock) | about $249,000 | Census ACS estimate |
| Median home value, Rainbow (76077) | about $480,000 | Nearly double 76043’s figure |
Figures above come from Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates compiled by Zip Codes To Go and Zip-Codes.com’s county comparison. Real-estate portals publish average or median list prices in the $450,000s to $480,000s for “Glen Rose,” a full house price higher than the figure above. Both numbers are legitimate; they measure different populations. The Census figure reflects homes already owned across the zip, which skews toward older, lower-priced housing. Portal figures reflect only homes currently on the market, which skews toward newer or larger inventory.
Schools: One District, No Zone Guessing
Somervell County has one public school district, Glen Rose ISD, and it covers essentially the entire county, including Nemo and Rainbow. That removes the attendance-zone research most zip-code guides recommend: there is no second district competing for the same addresses inside the county. Glen Rose High School and Glen Rose Elementary anchor the Stadium Drive corridor referenced in most local listings.
The Local Economy: Comanche Peak’s Fiscal Weight
No real-estate page for this zip mentions the single largest economic fact about the county: the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, roughly 45 miles southwest of Fort Worth between Glen Rose and Granbury, is Somervell County’s largest taxpayer, paying more than $30 million a year in state and local taxes. It employs more than 600 people and 200 permanent contractors, with 800 to 1,200 additional technicians arriving for periodic refueling outages, a temporary but recurring lift for local hotels and restaurants.
On July 30, 2024, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved license extensions that keep the plant’s two reactors running through 2050 and 2053. The plant’s tax contribution is not a legacy fact fading out; it is licensed to continue for decades.
How much of Somervell County’s tax base comes from the nuclear plant?Vistra, the plant’s owner, states Comanche Peak is the county’s largest taxpayer, contributing more than $30 million annually in state and local taxes.
Flood Risk Along the Paluxy River
Some local pages mention flood insurance as a cost without any data behind it. The National Weather Service publishes exact impact statements for the Paluxy River gauge at Glen Rose, tied to river stage in feet.
| River stage | Severity | What floods |
|---|---|---|
| 26 ft | Moderate | Recreational areas along the river through Glen Rose |
| 30 ft | Major | Homes and mobile homes near the gauge, low-water crossings, farm and ranch land |
| 33 ft | Major | Several homes underwater; low-water crossings and farm/ranch land near the river well underwater |
Home flooding at this gauge becomes likely starting around the 30-foot stage; below that, the impact is mostly to trails, parks, and low crossings rather than structures. A parcel two blocks from the water is not automatically at the same risk as one facing the river. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center is the place to pull a parcel-specific flood-zone letter before writing an offer near Big Rocks Park or the river corridor.
Is property near the Paluxy River in a flood zone?It depends on the parcel. Check the address directly at FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center; river-stage data shows meaningful home flooding starts around 30 feet at this gauge, not at the first sign of high water.
Short-Term Rentals and Investor Numbers
Glen Rose sits minutes from Dinosaur Valley State Park and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and the city requires hosts to obtain a permit before operating a short-term rental. Texas has no statewide short-term rental law, so permit rules and any occupancy-tax requirements are set locally.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Active STR listings tracked | 141 |
| Average occupancy | about 40% |
| Average daily rate | $210 |
| Average monthly revenue | $22,311 |
Figures from AirDNA’s Glen Rose market data. 40% occupancy at a $210 average daily rate is a seasonal-tourism pattern, not a steady year-round rental: summer months and event weekends carry most of the revenue, and modeling cash flow off the average monthly figure alone will overstate the slow months.
Can I run a short-term rental in 76043?Only with a city permit if the property is inside Glen Rose’s limits; confirm current rules with the city before purchasing for STR use, since permit and tax requirements can change.
Common Mistakes When Researching 76043
- Treating Nemo and Rainbow as part of 76043. See the zip table above; they share a school district, not a zip code.
- Quoting a portal’s “average price” as current fact. Check the data-pull date; this figure has swung by tens of thousands of dollars within a year on at least one major site.
- Copying a generic “best neighborhoods” list. At least one national portal’s Glen Rose neighborhood list actually names Cleburne and Godley neighborhoods, towns in different counties.
- Assuming flood risk is confined to riverfront lots. NWS impact data shows recreational flooding starting well before the stage at which homes flood; both zones deserve separate attention.
Leave a Reply