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Strategic Assessment of Tom Green County
Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.
What does the Strategic Assessment tell us?
Our Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability of an area. Major population centers, military targets, fallout zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.
This is heavily inspired by Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation book. Highly recommended you checkout the book ($)What does this tell us?
Our Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability of an area. Major population centers, military targets, fallout zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.
This is heavily inspired by Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation book. Highly recommended you checkout the book ($)Strategic Pillars
Key Distances
Strategic Assessment Analysis
Tom Green County, anchored by the city of San Angelo, offers a strategic balance of isolation and access that appeals to relocation-minded individuals and families prioritizing resilience and self-sufficiency. Situated in West Central Texas, roughly 200 miles from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and 250 miles from Houston, the county sits far enough from major population centers to reduce exposure to cascading urban risks, yet remains connected via U.S. Highways 87, 67, and 277, as well as the San Angelo Regional Airport (Mathis Field). The area’s location on the edge of the Edwards Plateau provides natural elevation advantages and a climate that, while arid, supports a lower risk profile for many common natural disasters. For a reader assessing long-term preparedness, Tom Green County presents a credible option: not a bunker, but a defensible, resource-capable region with room to operate.
Geographic position and natural advantages for long-term security
Tom Green County’s geography is defined by its position on the western edge of the Texas Hill Country, where the terrain transitions from rolling limestone hills to the drier plains of the Permian Basin. This elevation—San Angelo sits at roughly 1,800 feet above sea level—provides natural drainage and reduces the risk of catastrophic flooding compared to low-lying areas near the Gulf Coast. The county is also far removed from the state’s major hurricane evacuation zones, nuclear power plants (the nearest, Comanche Peak in Glen Rose, is over 200 miles east), and the dense petrochemical infrastructure of the Houston Ship Channel and Texas City. The Concho River, which flows through San Angelo and feeds into the O.C. Fisher Reservoir and Twin Buttes Reservoir, provides a reliable surface water source that is uncommon in much of West Texas. For a relocator, the ability to draw from two sizable reservoirs—combined capacity over 200,000 acre-feet—offers a meaningful buffer against drought and supply disruption, especially when compared to communities reliant solely on the Ogallala Aquifer. The county’s sparse population density (roughly 120,000 residents across 1,522 square miles) further reduces the likelihood of resource competition in a crisis scenario, while the surrounding ranching country provides open space for small-scale agriculture or livestock.
Risk exposure, industrial targets, and proximity to fallout-relevant landmarks
No location is without risk, and Tom Green County has specific exposures that a strategic assessment must weigh. The county lies within the broader Permian Basin energy zone, and while San Angelo itself is not a primary oilfield hub, the region hosts significant natural gas processing and pipeline infrastructure. The nearby town of Big Lake (Reagan County) and the Permian’s vast well fields are roughly 60 miles west, meaning that a major industrial accident or targeted disruption in the energy sector could affect supply chains or air quality depending on wind patterns. More directly, Goodfellow Air Force Base, located on the south side of San Angelo, is a dedicated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance training facility. While not a nuclear-capable base, its military function makes it a potential target in a conflict scenario—a fact that should factor into site selection within the county. The county is also within 150 miles of Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), one of the largest military installations in the world, which could become a concentration point for military activity or a secondary target. On the natural disaster front, the region faces periodic drought, extreme heat, and wildfire risk, particularly in the rural grasslands and juniper-dotted hills west of San Angelo. Tornado risk is present but lower than in North Texas; the county averages fewer than five tornado warnings per year, and most are weak. For a relocator, the key takeaway is that Tom Green County avoids the highest-risk zones for hurricanes, seismic activity, and nuclear plant proximity, but the presence of Goodfellow AFB and the Permian Basin’s energy infrastructure means that a truly remote homestead would need to be sited carefully—likely north or east of San Angelo, away from the base and prevailing west-to-east wind patterns.
Practical resilience: food, water, energy, and defensibility for a relocator
For a family or individual serious about self-sufficiency, Tom Green County offers a workable foundation with some notable gaps. Water is the strongest asset: in addition to the Concho River and the two major reservoirs, the county sits atop the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer, which provides groundwater at moderate depths (typically 200-400 feet) for private wells. San Angelo’s municipal water treatment capacity is robust, but a relocator on acreage should budget for a well and possibly rainwater catchment, as the region averages only 20 inches of annual rainfall. Food resilience is supported by the county’s agricultural base—Tom Green County ranks among Texas’s top producers of sheep, goats, and cattle—and the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo reflects a deep ranching culture. Local meat processing facilities exist, and the San Angelo Farmers Market operates seasonally, but year-round food production requires irrigation or greenhouse investment due to the hot, dry summers. Energy resilience is mixed: the county is served by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, which has shown vulnerability during winter storms (notably Uri in 2021). However, the region’s abundant solar resource (over 260 sunny days per year) makes off-grid solar a viable option, and natural gas generators are common in rural areas. Defensibility is a function of terrain and layout: the open, semi-arid landscape offers long sightlines but limited cover, which favors a prepared property with perimeter awareness. The county’s low crime rate (violent crime is roughly 30% below the national average, per 2023 FBI data) and strong sheriff’s office presence reduce day-to-day security concerns, but a relocator should prioritize properties with good road access and multiple egress routes, as the rural road network can be sparse. The city of San Angelo itself provides a full-service hospital (Shannon Medical Center), multiple grocery stores, and hardware suppliers, all within a 20-minute drive from most county locations—a practical buffer for daily life without urban density.
Overall, Tom Green County presents a credible strategic option for the resilience-minded relocator who wants a balance of isolation and access, natural water resources, and a low-risk profile for most large-scale disasters. The presence of Goodfellow Air Force Base and proximity to Permian Basin energy infrastructure are real but manageable risks, especially if property is selected with prevailing winds and distance in mind. The county’s agricultural heritage, reliable groundwater, and strong local infrastructure—combined with its distance from the state’s major urban and industrial corridors—make it a defensible, resource-capable location for families and individuals who are serious about preparedness. It is not a remote wilderness retreat, but a working Texas community where a prepared household can thrive with reasonable planning and investment. For the reader weighing long-term relocation, Tom Green County deserves a serious look as a base of operations that offers both everyday livability and crisis resilience.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-09-06T03:47:02.000Z
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