Midland, TX Statistics | Details |
---|---|
Population | 136,089 |
Population Density | 2,043 people per square mile |
Average Cost of Insurance | $5,074.54 |
Cheapest Providers | USAA and State Farm |
Midland is situated in West Texas’s Permian Basin. Did you know that the Permian Basin is the second-largest producer of oil in the world?
In the 20s, the discovery of oil in the Permian Basin changed Midland from a railroad town to a thriving city.
If you are thinking of moving to Midland and owning a car, then this guide is for you. We know how confusing (and expensive) car insurance can be, which is why we are going to break down important information about car insurance in Midland.
From the cost of car insurance in Midland to unique driving laws, we cover it all here. Let’s begin.
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Table of Contents
The Cost of Car Insurance in Midland
We get it. Car insurance is expensive, and it’s tempting to skip out on it. But car insurance is a legal requirement if you want to drive in Texas.
We want to help you save on car insurance, which is why we are going to go through car insurance costs in Midland.
So let’s jump right into data from Quadrant about the factors that affect car insurance rates so that you can make sure you’re getting the best rates possible.
– Male vs. Female vs. Age
Your age has a direct correlation with your car insurance rates. While you probably went on your parent’s policy as a teen and didn’t follow how much a teen driver costs, your parents were definitely aware of the price increase for a teen driver.
Basically, with each decade you get older, your car insurance rates will decrease as you gain more driving experience.
The median age in Midland is 32.1, so most drivers will be paying rates for 35-year-old drivers.
Let’s take a look at what rates by age are in Midland.
Age | 17 | 25 | 35 | 60 | Cheapest Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average Annual Rate | $6,855.95 | $2,837.24 | $2,265.10 | $2,134.66 | 60 |
If you need a reason to celebrate the transition into the golden years, drivers aged 60 have the cheapest rates. As expected, teenagers have the most expensive rates.
As for gender, most people don’t realize that their rates are impacted by whether they are male or female. Midland’s rates show a clear difference in rates by gender.
- Male Average Annual Rate: $3,523
- Female Average Annual Rate: $3,324
Why do males pay more? Well, insurers create rates based on accident data, and this data shows that males are riskier drivers. Take a look at the table below to see how gender and age combine to form a basic rate.
Demographic | Rate (Cheapest) |
---|---|
Married 60-year old female | $2,081.29 |
Married 60-year old male | $2,188.02 |
Married 35-year old female | $2,232.60 |
Married 35-year old male | $2,297.59 |
Single 25-year old female | $2,746.27 |
Single 25-year old male | $2,928.21 |
Single 17-year old female | $6,237.30 |
Single 17-year old male | $7,474.61 |
The data is clear. Males consistently pay more than females when it comes to car insurance, though males will pay less and less as they age.
– Cheapest Zip Codes in Midland
Every city has its good and bad areas. If you live in a part of the city that is safer, such as fewer crimes or natural disasters, than your car insurance rates will be lower.
Let’s take a look at what zip codes in Midland are the cheapest areas to live in.
Zip Code | Average Annual Rate |
---|---|
79705 | $5,074.54 |
79703 | $5,135.86 |
79707 | $5,144.92 |
79706 | $5,221.81 |
79701 | $5,306.43 |
The price difference between Midland’s top and bottom zip code is less than $300, which is actually a great price difference. In some cities, moving to a new zip code will cost you thousands.
– What’s the Best Car Insurance Company in Midland?
Picking the right insurance company can be hard. But since the cost is a big factor in the decision-making process, we are going to go through rates at different companies.
Doing so will help you pick a provider with rates that match your budget, so let’s begin.
– Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by Company
Let’s start by seeing which companies in Midland have the cheapest rates.
Group | Single 17-year old male | Single 17-year old female | Single 25-year old male | Single 25-year old female | Married 35-year old male | Married 35-year old female | Married 60-year old male | Married 60-year old female | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $10,105.38 | $8,339.46 | $4,118.43 | $3,932.11 | $3,200.55 | $3,162.61 | $3,121.88 | $3,121.88 | $4,887.79 |
American Family | $9,992.42 | $7,528.22 | $4,588.99 | $3,987.83 | $3,056.65 | $2,748.11 | $2,968.36 | $2,595.23 | $4,683.23 |
GEICO | $5,165.22 | $4,935.93 | $2,523.08 | $2,492.22 | $2,451.84 | $2,297.53 | $2,400.78 | $2,157.60 | $3,053.03 |
Nationwide | $7,017.72 | $5,472.19 | $2,477.53 | $2,292.38 | $1,990.45 | $1,957.73 | $1,834.55 | $1,734.48 | $3,097.13 |
Progressive | $9,796.33 | $8,777.01 | $2,562.33 | $2,508.91 | $2,017.72 | $2,110.08 | $1,916.46 | $1,881.66 | $3,946.31 |
State Farm | $5,789.72 | $4,534.25 | $2,096.03 | $2,034.32 | $1,867.19 | $1,867.19 | $1,666.18 | $1,666.18 | $2,690.13 |
USAA | $4,455.47 | $4,074.01 | $2,131.09 | $1,976.10 | $1,498.75 | $1,484.98 | $1,407.95 | $1,412.00 | $2,305.04 |
Out of the average rates, USAA and State Farm have the cheapest rates. Don’t just go off of the average rates, though, but rather the rates for your age and gender at each company.
This way, you can make sure there isn’t a cheaper rate for your demographic at another company. Of course, if you are buying a plan for your family, determining what overall rates are best can be harder due to multiple ages and genders.
– Best Car Insurance for Commute Rates
Long commutes are every worker’s worst nightmare. Even worse is that some insurers charge extra for drivers with long commutes.
The average driver in Texas drives 15,533 miles a year, meaning the average driver is charged for a long commute.
Let’s see which Midland providers charge Texas drivers more for long commute distances.
Group | 10 Miles Commute. 6,000 Annual Mileage. | 25 Miles Commute. 12,000 Annual Mileage. | Average |
---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $4,775.43 | $5,000.15 | $4,887.79 |
American Family | $4,683.23 | $4,683.23 | $4,683.23 |
GEICO | $2,993.16 | $3,112.89 | $3,053.03 |
Nationwide | $3,097.13 | $3,097.13 | $3,097.13 |
Progressive | $3,946.31 | $3,946.31 | $3,946.31 |
State Farm | $2,690.13 | $2,690.13 | $2,690.13 |
USAA | $2,275.73 | $2,334.36 | $2,305.05 |
The good news is that American Family, Nationwide, Progressive, and State Farm don’t charge more for long commute distances. In some cases, though, these companies may be more expensive than a company who does charge more for a long commute.
By comparing rates, you can make sure you get the best deal, no matter how far you drive each year.
– Best Car Insurance for Coverage Level Rates
Anyone who has been in an accident knows how important it is to have great coverage on his or her car. Unless you shop around, though, a high coverage level can be too expensive for your monthly budget.
To help you find an insurer that offers high coverage at an economical cost, we’ve included the price increases for car insurance coverages in Midland.
Group | Low | Medium | High | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $4,805.93 | $4,857.46 | $4,999.98 | $4,887.79 |
American Family | $4,414.00 | $4,549.85 | $5,085.83 | $4,683.23 |
GEICO | $2,931.08 | $3,028.67 | $3,199.33 | $3,053.03 |
Nationwide | $2,967.72 | $2,983.29 | $3,340.37 | $3,097.13 |
Progressive | $3,794.20 | $3,931.59 | $4,113.14 | $3,946.31 |
State Farm | $2,552.50 | $2,685.98 | $2,831.91 | $2,690.13 |
USAA | $2,238.10 | $2,298.42 | $2,378.62 | $2,305.05 |
All of the providers on the list have price increases from low to high coverage that is under $1,000. A few providers, such as Allstate or Geico, have price increases that are under $300.
So by shopping around, you can find high coverage for a reasonable price.
– Best Car Insurance for Credit History Rates
Credit history is needed for almost everything these days, from bank loans to car insurance. Midland insurance providers will charge more if drivers have poor or fair credit.
Let’s take a look at how much more insurers tack onto their rates for poor or fair credit histories.
Group | Good | Fair | Poor | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $3,901.64 | $4,558.79 | $6,202.93 | $4,887.79 |
American Family | $3,550.52 | $4,031.42 | $6,467.74 | $4,683.23 |
GEICO | $1,785.49 | $2,669.59 | $4,703.99 | $3,053.02 |
Nationwide | $2,602.13 | $2,985.38 | $3,703.87 | $3,097.13 |
Progressive | $3,560.64 | $3,839.78 | $4,438.51 | $3,946.31 |
State Farm | $1,891.49 | $2,372.06 | $3,806.84 | $2,690.13 |
USAA | $1,561.43 | $1,948.10 | $3,405.61 | $2,305.05 |
While fair credit adds under a thousand to costs, poor credit will cost drivers thousands of dollars. If drivers are struggling to escape credit card debt, these added costs will make it even harder.
Because of this, pick an insurer who has the best rates if you struggle with credit history.
– Best Car Insurance for Driving Record Rates
Driving record is an extremely important factor to insurers. In fact, insurers may even refuse to insure drivers who have a bad driving record.
Bad driving records can add hundreds or thousands onto your rates, depending on what offenses are on your record.
Group | Clean record | With 1 speeding violation | With 1 accident | With 1 DUI | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $3,819.25 | $3,819.25 | $5,821.08 | $6,091.58 | $5,243.97 |
American Family | $4,258.10 | $4,258.10 | $5,451.40 | $4,765.31 | $4,824.94 |
GEICO | $2,593.03 | $3,343.27 | $3,389.91 | $2,885.89 | $2,956.28 |
Nationwide | $2,691.24 | $3,035.11 | $2,691.24 | $3,970.92 | $3,117.80 |
Progressive | $3,447.71 | $3,879.22 | $4,440.26 | $4,018.06 | $3,968.68 |
State Farm | $2,383.90 | $2,383.90 | $2,742.68 | $3,250.06 | $2,792.21 |
USAA | $1,726.12 | $1,980.40 | $2,528.94 | $2,984.71 | $2,413.26 |
Keep in mind that these rate changes are just for a first offense — multiple offenses will cost more than the amounts shown above. If your driving record is less than stellar, pick a provider with the cheapest rates for your offense.
Doing so could save you a few hundred dollars a year, which could be spent on more exciting things than car insurance.
– Car Insurance Factors in Midland
While factors like driving records seem like a given in determining insurers’ rates, there are some factors that are less obvious. For instance, the city you live in.
Car insurers look at the area you live in to determine rates. Why?
Because if you live in a city with a great economy, there will be less uninsured drivers on the road. This means that insurers are less likely to be stuck paying an enormous amount if you get in a crash with another driver.
So let’s jump in and take a look at Midland’s economy with information from Data USA that covers everything from household incomes to employment.
– Median Household Income
Let’s start by taking a look at what the average household in Midland earns annually.
Households in Midland earn an average of $75,646 a year. This is great, as it is more than the U.S. and Texas average household incomes.
Because the average cost of car insurance in Midland is $5,074, Midland households are only spending 6.71 percent of their annual income on car insurance.
This percentage may seem high, but the percentage is actually lower than in other Texas cities because Midland households earn more than the average.
If you want to see what percentage you spend on car insurance, use our free insurance as a percentage of income calculator below.
– Homeownership in Midland
Owning your first home is a memorable occasion. What makes owning a home even better is that insurers often offer a home and auto bundling discount — helping you save money on car insurance.
So let’s see how many Midland residents own their homes.
Good news. 67.1 percent of Midland residents own their homes, which is once again a higher percentage of homeowners than the U.S. and Texas averages.
This is a great number of homeowners, especially once you learn that the median value of homes in Midland is fairly high.
The 2017 median value of a home in Midland was $193,200, which is higher than the Texas home median value of $151,500. Midland’s higher than average salaries may explain why there is still a large number of homeowners despite higher property values.
– Education in Midland
If you want to be able to afford a home in Midland, then you’ll need a great job. The best way to get a great job? Education.
For those that want to get college degrees in Midland, there is only one college in the city.
Midland College is a public, four-year university that awarded 757 degrees in 2016. There is also a community college (Odessa College) just out of Midland, about half an hour away from the heart of Midland city.
Odessa College is open admission and offers one to two-year accreditation programs in the following areas.
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
- Business and Industry
- Health Sciences
- Liberal Arts and Education
Since Midland became the city it is today because of the oil industry, Odessa College’s accreditation programs dealing with industry or engineering could be useful programs to get a great job in Midland.
– Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs
We want to break down incomes in Midland further. While the average income in Midland is high, it doesn’t mean that everyone will be earning that amount.
Below, you see different wages for races and ethnicities in the common job field of miscellaneous managers.
Race or Ethnicity | Average Salary | Percentage of Income Going to Car Insurance |
---|---|---|
Asian | $107,939 | 4.70% |
White | $103,767 | 4.89% |
Two or More Races | $89,714 | 5.66% |
American Indian | $74,900 | 6.78% |
Black | $73,311 | 6.92% |
Other | $64,955 | 7.81% |
Other Native American | $60,677 | 8.36% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders | $46,959 | 10.81% |
Asians are the highest paid race or ethnicity, meaning less than five percent of Asians’ income goes towards car insurance.
As salaries decrease, the percentage going to car insurance grows. The lowest-paid race or ethnicity, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, spend over ten percent of their income on car insurance.
– Wage by Gender in Common Jobs
Data consistently proves that a gender wage gap exists. The graph below shows the gender difference in wages for similar jobs.
While in some jobs the pay difference is slight, such as cashiers, there is still a salary difference between genders in every category.
- Male Average Salary: $64,953
- Female Average Salary: $45,959
Males in Texas earn about $19,000 more than females, which is a SIGNIFICANT amount. It means that while females spend 11 percent of their income on car insurance, males only spend 7.81 percent of their income.
With such a difference in salaries, it’s especially important for females to shop around for car insurance to get the best deal possible.
– Poverty by Age and Gender
Let’s continue looking at gender differences by seeing what genders and ages are the most poverty-stricken in Midland.
Females ages 25 to 34 are the largest demographic stricken by poverty, followed closely by females ages 18 to 24. Sadly, males under the age of five are the third-highest demographic.
Midland has a fair number of toddlers and babies in poverty, although you can see a decrease after age five before the percentages spike again after age 18.
The good news is that Midland actually has a lower than average poverty rate.
Out of the population living in poverty, 8.72 percent live below the poverty line. This is lower than the national average of 13.4 percent.
So while Midland does have residents living in poverty, the number living below poverty is actually lower than the U.S. average.
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– Poverty by Race and Ethnicity
Let’s dig deeper into poverty statistics by seeing what races and ethnicities struggle the most with poverty in Midland.
The numbers for the most poverty-stricken races and ethnicities are as follows.
- Whites: 8,385 people
- Hispanics: 7,270 people
- Other: 1,461 people
Other races and ethnicities only have a small number of people living in poverty in Midland (a thousand or less).
– Employment by Occupations
We’ve looked at incomes, poverty, and education, so let’s end this section by seeing what occupations are the most popular in Midland.
The most common occupations in Midland are the following.
- Office and Administrative Support Occupations (8,758 people)
- Management Occupations (7,362 people)
- Construction and Extraction Occupations (7,330 people)
Seeing as Midland blossomed around an oil mining industry, there are a number of careers dealing with construction and extraction. Midland has also seen an increase in job growth, as employment grew at a rate of 2.53 percent from 2016 to 2017.
So if you’re looking for a job, be encouraged in the fact that Midland’s job growth has continued to flourish over the last few years.
Driving in Midland
Driving in cities can be confusing, due to increased amounts of traffic and multiple intersections. If you’ve never lived in a city before, driving can quickly become overwhelming.
We don’t want you to stress about driving in Midland, which is why we are going to go through Midland’s traffic details.
So keep reading if you want to prepare yourself for driving in Midland.
– Roads in Midland
The first part of driving around Midland we want to look at is the roads. A city with well-maintained roads and easy access to major highways makes driving less stressful.
After all, the last thing you want is to lose a tire to a pothole on your way to the highway. So let’s jump right into important information about Midland’s roads.
– Major Highways
The state of Texas is crisscrossed with 25 major routes, making up 3,501 miles of roadway in the state. One of these major routes, I-20, runs right through Midland.
I-20 is an important interstate, acting as “the main conduit between the West Coast and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.”
If you travel on a highway long enough, though, you’ll eventually have to pass through a toll road. While the good news is that there aren’t any major toll roads near Midland, if you travel and go through tolls frequently you may want to purchase a TxTag.
You’ll have to pay a one-time fee to buy the tag, but it should soon pay itself off if you pass through tolls regularly.
How?
Because TxTag users receive the cheapest tolls, up to 50 percent less than the original price you’d pay. So if you drive all over Texas for work or just for fun, make sure to consider a TxTag.
– Popular Road Trips and Sites
Midland has a variety of attractions to visit, from performing art centers to candy factories. Since Midland is a thriving city, there is always something to do.
If you want to get outside of Midland for a while, the city is also situated near plenty of great road trip destinations.
- Natural Wonders Road Trip — If you want to get into nature, this road trip will take you to some of the prettiest nature spots near Midland.
- Haunted Road Trip — If you love scary Halloween reruns on TV, then this trip through the most haunted places in Texas is perfect for you.
- Small Town Road Trip — Take this trip to visit some of the most charming small towns in Texas.
- Taco Road Trip — You don’t even have to venture out of Midland to start this trip, as one of the best taco places is right in Midland city.
These are just some ideas to show you that it’s hard to be bored in Midland. With plenty to do both in and outside of the city, your weekends can consist of more than just binge-watching Netflix.
– Midland Speeding and Red Light Cameras
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that Texas only uses red light cameras, not speeding cameras. However, the law regarding the use of red light cameras has recently changed.
Since early 2019, red light cameras have been banned in the state of Texas.
This means that while you may see red light cameras still up in Midland, they have already been decommissioned. While this doesn’t mean you can cruise through a red light now, you won’t be sent a ticket if you stop over the white line at intersections.
– Vehicles in Midland
Vehicles have become an invaluable mode of transportation since their invention. While vehicles are easier to take care of than a horse-drawn buggy, there are still headaches that come with owning a vehicle.
While you won’t have to spend money on hay and veterinarian visits, you will have to pay for vehicle repairs, driving tickets, and worry about theft.
So in order to prepare you for owning a car in Midland, we are going to go through car ownership data from the average number of cars in Midland to vehicle theft in the city.
Let’s begin.
– Midland Cars Per Household
Three-car garages have come into existence for a reason. Most households have moved beyond owning just one car and need more space to park multiple vehicles.
In Midland, the majority of households own two cars, followed by three cars.
There are 2,850 households in Midland that actually own more than five cars, which definitely won’t fit in a three-car garage.
– Midland Households Without a Car
While there are those in Midland who own more than five cars, there are also those in Midland who own zero cars. Let’s take a look at which households lack cars.
2015 Households without Vehicles | 2015 Vehicles per Household | 2016 Households without Vehicles | 2016 Vehicles per Household |
---|---|---|---|
5.7% | 2.05 | 3.7% | 1.93 |
The percentage of households without cars dropped two percent from 2015 to 2016, so a significant number of households gained vehicles in that time period.
– Speed Traps in Midland
We get it. Sometimes you’re running late and your speedometer inches above the posted speed limit. If you’ve ever received a ticket for speeding from a cop hidden around a corner, then you’ve been caught by a speed trap.
Compared to other cities, though, Midland doesn’t have a large number of speed traps. How do we know this?
Because Midland didn’t make it onto the list of the 10 worst Texas cities for speed traps. Instead, major cities like Dallas received the honor of being on the list.
Please don’t use the lower number of speed traps as permission to speed. Speeding is a number one cause of driving fatalities, putting both you and other drivers at risk.
– Vehicle Theft in Midland
Whenever you own something nice, such as your own vehicle, there are always those who want to take it from you. In 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) listed on its crime report that 220 vehicles were stolen in Midland in just one year.
In 2017, Neighborhood Scout listed the number of 2017 stolen vehicles as 220 in Midland. Since this number is the exact same as in 2013, there hasn’t been an increase in stolen vehicles, although there also hasn’t been a decrease.
So what’s the safest neighborhood to park your car in? According to Neighborhood Scout, the safest neighborhood in Midland is N Garfield St/Neely Ave.
If you want more options for safe neighborhoods in Midland, the other safest neighborhoods are listed below.
- Route 158/W County Rd 60
- N Midland Dr/Cardinal Ln
- N Midland Dr/Storey Ave
- Greenwood/Spraberry
- N Garfield St/W Wadley Ave
- W Wall St/S Midland Dr
- Fm 868/Neely Ave
- Ranch Rd/State Loop
- Midland College/N A St
Living in these neighborhoods helps lower your chances of having your vehicle stolen or being the victim of a violent crime.
In Midland, you have a one in 361 chance of being the victim of a violent crime. This is slightly better than the overall chance in Texas, where you have a one in 228 chance of being a victim.
Below is a breakdown of what violent crimes occur in Midland and the crime rate per 1,000 residents.
Midland Violent Crimes 2017 | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault |
---|---|---|---|---|
Report Total | 2 | 37 | 59 | 279 |
Rate Per 1,000 People | 0.01 | 0.27 | 0.43 | 2.05 |
Midland’s rates of violent crimes are low, which is probably why Midland has earned a crime index rating of 28.
This crime index rating means that Midland is safer than 28 percent of all U.S. cities. So let’s take a look at annual crimes to see if Midland deserves this decent rating.
Midland Annual Crimes 2017 | Violent | Property | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of Crimes | 3.77 | 2,677 | 3,054 |
Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents) | 2.77 | 19.67 | 22.44 |
Midland has a decent rate per 1,000 residents for its total number of crimes. Still, help lower your chances of being the victim of a crime by living in one of Midland’s safer neighborhoods.
– Traffic
Traffic is a natural part of living in a city. If you hate traffic, a city may not be the best place for you. Not all cities have insane amounts of traffic, though, which is why we are going to take an in-depth look at traffic in Midland.
This way, you know what you’re getting into.
So stick with us as we go through everything from information on traffic congestion to information on what to watch out for on Midland’s roads.
– Traffic Congestion in Midland
The good news about traffic congestion in Midland is that Midland isn’t on traffic scorecards like Inrix or TomTom. This means that compared to other Texas cities, Midland’s traffic wasn’t bad enough to earn Midland a spot on these lists.
You’ll still have traffic to deal with, but it’s not as bad as in major cities like Dallas or Fort Worth.
– Transportation
While Midland didn’t appear on any traffic scorecards, we want to make sure that Midland’s traffic is normal by looking at the commute time in Midland.
Good news. The average commute time in Midland is 18.4 minutes, which means the average commute time a day is 36.8 minutes (to and from work).
Midland’s average commute time of 18.4 minutes is less than the U.S. average of 25.1 minutes (or 50.2 minutes a day).
As well, only 1.68 percent of residents in Midland have a super commute of more than 90 minutes.
Now that we know the commute times in Midland, let’s take a look at how residents get to work.
The three major modes of transportation in Midland are as follows.
- 85.5 percent drive alone
- 10.4 percent carpool
- 1.88 percent work from home
As you can clearly see, most people in Midland drive alone to work.
– Busiest Highways
Great news. According to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Midway contains zero of the 100 most congested roadways in Texas. This means that when you use roads around Midland, there should only be normal traffic patterns.
So if you live in Midland, it won’t take you an hour to move just a few blocks.
– How Safe are Midland’s Streets and Roads?
Crash data helps us see what areas are more dangerous to drive in. So to see how safe Midland’s roads and streets are to drive on, we are going to look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) data on Midland County.
Let’s start by looking at fatalities for all crashes.
Fatalities (All Crashes) by County | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Midland County | 44 | 47 | 33 | 25 | 50 |
While fatalities decreased in 2016, they did increase significantly in 2017. Let’s break down the overall crashes to see what caused them.
Midland County Crash Type | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC 0.8+) | 18 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 23 |
Single Vehicle Crash | 17 | 23 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
Involving Speeding | 14 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 14 |
Involving a Roadway Departure | 28 | 22 | 14 | 11 | 16 |
Involving an Intersection or Intersection-Related | 6 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 13 |
Drunk driving and speeding are major culprits in the number of fatalities in Midland. Roadway departures are also a significant factor.
The NHTSA has also recorded fatality data for victims of crashes who were not within the vehicle. Below is the number of fatalities for pedestrians and cyclists.
Person Type Fatalities | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Passenger Car Occupant | 11 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 18 |
Pedestrian | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Pedalcyclist | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The good news is that Midland has only had one cyclist death over a five year period. The bad news is that pedestrian deaths spiked in 2017, going from one to eight fatalities.
So what roads should you be most cautious on?
The NHTSA list of fatalities by road type is below.
Rural Interstate | Urban Interstate | Freeway and Expressway | Other | Minor Arterial | Collector Arterial | Local | Unknown |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
176 | 402 | 260 | 982 | 652 | 600 | 261 | 10 |
So what do these road types mean, such as arterial or collector roads? Unless you work for the Department of Transportation, these terms are new for the majority of drivers.
- Arterial roads are roads that deal with a high volume of traffic, such as a highway. If an arterial road has a lower amount of traffic flow, it may be classified as a minor arterial road.
- A collector road takes local traffic to arterial roads.
Since a number of crashes occur on arterial roads, use care when driving in high-traffic areas and when merging from collector roads onto arterial roads.
Let’s dig deeper into arterial road crashes by looking at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s report on highway and railroad crash incidents.
Highway User Speed | Calendar Year | County | Highway | Highway User Type | Rail Equipment Type | Non-Suicide Fatality | Non-Suicide Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | 2012 | MIDLAND | MIDKIFF | Automobile | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
0 | 2012 | MIDLAND | CR 1140 | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
4 | 2012 | MIDLAND | GARFIELD STREET | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 4 | 24 |
0 | 2013 | MIDLAND | CARVER STREET | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 0 | 1 |
0 | 2013 | MIDLAND | S FAIRGROUNDS RD | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 1 | 1 |
30 | 2013 | MIDLAND | BI - 20/FRONT ST. | Automobile | Freight Train | 0 | 2 |
0 | 2013 | MIDLAND | US 80 FRONTAGE | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 1 |
0 | 2013 | MIDLAND | S. FAIRGROUNDS RD. | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
50 | 2014 | MIDLAND | FM662 | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
0 | 2014 | MIDLAND | COUNTY RD 1250 | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
40 | 2014 | MIDLAND | TERRELL STREET | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 1 | 0 |
0 | 2014 | MIDLAND | EISENHOWER STREET | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
0 | 2014 | MIDLAND | EISENHOWER STREET | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
0 | 2014 | MIDLAND | US 80 FR | Truck-trailer | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
0 | 2015 | MIDLAND | TERRELL STREET | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
10 | 2015 | MIDLAND | CARVER STREET | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 1 | 2 |
Be especially cautious on Garfield street in Midland, as 24 non-suicide injuries and four non-suicide deaths happened in 2012.
– Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report
Drivers in Midland should be happy to know that their driving has earned them a good ranking from Allstate’s report on the best drivers in the U.S. (based on data like crash and claim history).
2018 Best Drivers Report Ranking | Average Years Between Claims | Relative Claim Likelihood (Compared to National Average) | 2018 Drivewise® Hard-Braking Events Per 1,000 Miles | Suburban Metro Area | Average Years Between Claims (Suburban Metro Area) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 11.7 | -14.20% | N/A | Midland, TX | 13 |
Midland ranked seventh, which is fantastic. Seeing as over a decade passes for most drivers before they file a claim, Midland’s drivers aren’t often crashing and filing claims.
– Ridesharing
Ridesharing can be an invaluable resource when you live in a city. Using ridesharing services can quickly become an expensive budget item, though, which is why we want to compare prices for ridesharing services in Midland.
- Uber — Uber X is the cheapest ridesharing service in Midland.
- Lyft — Lyft is slightly more expensive than Uber in Midland.
To help keep costs low, use a rideshare app or website to check prices.
– EStar Repair Shops
Esurance rates repair shops across the U.S. to find ones with the best service and prices. Ones who make the cut are rated as EStar repair shops.
Unfortunately, there are no EStar repair shops within 50 miles of Midland.
The best way to find a reputable shop is to check reviews and ask for quotes from different shops.
– Weather
Texas is known for being hot, but in some cities, the heat is worse than in others. Let’s take a look at U.S. Climate Data’s record of annual temperatures in Midland, so you know how much sunscreen to pack.
Midland Weather | Averages |
---|---|
Annual High Temperature | 80°F |
Annual Low Temperature | 50.9°F |
Average Temperature | 65.45°F |
Annual Rainfall | 14.9 inches |
Annual Snowfall | 2 inches |
Midland is a little cooler than other parts of Texas, as there is an annual of two inches of snow a year. Since we are on the subject of weather, let’s take a look at natural disasters in Midland, such as damaging storms.
Midland has had a total of 12 natural disasters, which is just below the U.S. average of 13 natural diasters.
Midland’s past natural disasters consist of nine fires and three hurricanes. While Midland’s history of natural disasters isn’t high, protection on your vehicle is still a smart choice.
Comprehensive coverage will protect from damages from natural disasters, as well as theft, vandalism, and animal collisions.
– Public Transit
One of the perks of living in a city is that there is usually easy access to public transit. Midland has EZ-Rider, a public bus transit system.
Below are EZ-Rider’s fixed rates for riders.
Pass | Price |
---|---|
Child (5 and under) | Free |
Youth (6 to 18) | $1 |
Adult (19 to 59) | $1.25 |
Senior (60 and over) | $.60 |
Disabled (with valid I.D.) | $.60 |
Student (with valid I.D.) | $1 |
All Day Pass | $3 |
Monthly Pass | Adult: $37 Youth/Student: $28 Senior/Disabled: $19 |
Disabled drivers must show a valid medicare card to get the discounted rate. EZ-Rider also offers paratransit services in Midland. The cost for paratransit services is $2.50 for a one-way trip within 3/4th of a mile of a fixed route. Outside of 3/4th of a mile of a fixed route, the cost is $5.
– Alternate Transportation
Currently, Midland doesn’t have the popular bike and scooter rentals Lime or Bird. Since these companies are working on expanding, though, bikes and scooter rentals may come to Midland in the future.
– Parking in Metro Areas
Along with heavy traffic in cities comes limited parking. This means that you’ll have to pay a meter to park on the street.
While there are a few places with free parking in Midland, these free parking garages and lots usually have time limits on how long you can stay until you have to pay.
If you are going to be somewhere more than an hour or two, there are paid parking garages across the city. And if you are planning on flying out of the city, there is also satellite parking at Midland’s airport.
Finally, there is one last aspect of parking in Midland that we want to mention.
If you own an electric vehicle, you need to live in a city with plenty of areas to charge it. Unfortunately, Midland only has 14 vehicle charging stations in the city.
The good news is that this isn’t quite as bad as it sounds. Midland is a smaller city, so 14 charging stations aren’t terrible. As well, nine of these charging stations are free.
Just make sure to charge up before you leave the house or make sure to have a charging station destination in mind. The last thing you want is to run out of juice miles away from a charger.
– Air Quality in Cities
The air we breathe has an impact on our overall health, not just our lung quality. Vehicles are a major contributor to the air pollutants we breathe in, which is why cities can be harmful to people who are sensitive to air quality.
Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hasn’t recorded data on Midland’s air quality in its air quality study. This could be because Midland is a smaller city, but it could also be because the air quality in Midland isn’t bad enough to monitor.
You can keep track of Midland’s air quality through the EPA’s AIRNow monitoring site.
Military and Veterans
Military personnel and veterans can receive discounts at some providers, but car insurance is confusing enough without trying to call providers to find out about discounts.
To help make the process easier, we are going to go through everything you need to know about military discounts in Midland, as well as everything you need to know about the military in Midland.
So stick with us as we go through information from veterans by service period to USAA availability.
– Veterans by Service Period
If you live in Midland long enough, you’ll probably end up running into a Vietnam veteran, as there are a total of 1,725 Vietnam veterans living in Midland.
There is also a small number of WWII veterans (257) living in Midland.
– Military Bases Within an Hour
There are no military bases within an hour of Midland. The closest base, Dyess Air Force Base, is over two hours from Midland.
So if you are thinking of working on a military base, Midland probably isn’t the best place to commute from.
– Military Discounts by Providers
Not all providers give military discounts. But we believe those who’ve served our country deserve a discount. That’s why we listed which major providers give military discounts below.
Company | Percentage Saved With Discount |
---|---|
Farmers | N/A |
Geico | 15% |
Liberty Mutual (must be active duty) | 4% |
MetLife | 15% |
Safeco | N/A |
USAA | N/A |
*USAA has a military garaging discount as well.
This list may seem short, but it’s a list of just major providers. Providers local to just your area may still have a discount, so make sure to always ask.
– USAA Availability
USAA is a major provider of insurance for military members (and their families). Let’s take a look at how USAA’s rates compare to other major providers in Texas.
Company | Average | Compared to State Average ($) | Compared to State Average (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Allstate F&C | $5,485.32 | $1,556.98 | 28.38% |
Geico County Mutual Ins Co. | $3,263.39 | -$664.95 | -20.38% |
Nationwide CCMIC | $3,867.57 | -$60.77 | -1.57% |
Progressive Cty Mtl | $4,664.85 | $736.51 | 15.79% |
State Farm Mutual Auto | $2,879.95 | -$1,048.39 | -36.40% |
The Gen Automobile Ins Co Inc | $4,849.18 | $920.84 | 18.99% |
USAA | $2,488.12 | -$1,440.22 | -57.88% |
Part of USAA’s popularity is because it has the cheapest rates in Texas. Since USAA is over 55 percent cheaper than the Texas state average, USAA should definitely be on your list of potential providers.
Unique Midland Laws
Even driving pros can be stumped by a city’s laws. Since cities can pass their own ordinances, something that was legal in your old city may earn you a ticket in your new city.
Luckily, we are here to help.
We will go through Midland’s unique city laws that you have to know about, such as cellphone use laws. Let’s get started.
– Hands-Free Laws
In Texas, you can only use hand-held devices in certain areas. ALL drivers are prohibited from texting.
Hand-Held Ban | Young Drivers All Cellphone Ban | Texting Ban | Enforcement |
---|---|---|---|
Drivers in school crossing zones/on public school property (during the time the reduced speed limit applies) | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | Primary |
In Midland, there is a slight exception to the no texting law. You are allowed to text if the vehicle is completely stopped. While the police don’t recommend doing so, this means that you can send a quick text while waiting at a red light.
You can also use your phone for GPS navigation or to change the music in areas where hand-held use is allowed.
If you violate the no-texting law, though, you could earn up to a $200 fine. So play it safe and put the phone down in the car.
– Food Trucks
Operating a food truck in a city is a viable business option, but you have to make sure to follow local ordinances to avoid being shut down.
If you want to operate a food truck in Midland, you’ll need the following.
- Mobile Food Vendor Permit — You can call the City of Midland Health Department for a permit application. (432) 681-7613.
- Valid License from the City of Midland Health Department
- Valid Driver’s License
- Vehicle Insurance
If you want to sell from a fixed location, you have to park on commercial property and have a notarized permission letter from the property owner that also grants permission to use the property’s restrooms.
– Tiny Home
Thinking of downsizing? If you buy a tiny home in Midland, you’ll have to park it in one of Midland’s approved zoning areas. If you want to move your tiny home outside of the pre-approved areas, you’ll need to gain approval and pass a safety inspection.
For example, parking on private property would require an inspection to make sure the tiny home is up to code with fire safety regulations.
You’ll also need to hook up to water and sewer wherever you park.
– Parking Laws
You can’t park just anywhere in the city. All cities have allotted street parking and parking outside these areas will result in a ticket and your vehicle being towed.
Another parking offense that will earn you a ticket? Wrong direction parking.
Because drivers have to pull into opposing traffic to pull into a spot on the other side of the street, wrong direction parking is dangerous and will result in an officer ticketing cars facing the wrong way.
One way to avoid the temptation to park the wrong way is to reserve a spot at a local parking garage. This way, you won’t panic when you see an empty spot and serve across the street to take it.
Midland Car Insurance FAQs
We get it. Car insurance is a confusing subject, and you may still have questions even after all we covered. So let’s take a look at what other people are commonly asking about living and driving in Midland.
Hopefully, this will clear up any questions you have left.
Let’s begin.
– What’s in Midland, Texas?
There is plenty to do in Midland. From museums, nature preserves, to some of the best southern comfort food in Texas, there is always something to explore.
– How Affordable is Midland, Texas?
The good news is that most residents in Midland have higher than average incomes. However, the average value of homes in Midland is also higher than average.
So finding an affordable home may be a bit tougher in Midland, though Midland still has a higher than average rate of homeownership.
– How Safe is Midland, Texas?
Midland is a fairly safe city in Texas. It has a crime index rating of 28, so it’s safer than 28 percent of U.S. cities. The city also has a fairly low rate of crimes per 1,000 residents.
– Who is from Midland, Texas?
While Midland is a smaller city, it’s produced a number of well-known people. From the actor Woody Harrelson to the Bush Family, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of someone raised in Midland, Texas.
– What Happens if I’m in a Car Crash?
Texas is an at-fault state, which is why we stress the importance of having good coverage on your car. If you cause an accident, you are liable for the other driver’s injury and property damage costs.
This means that if you don’t have good coverage, you’ll be stuck paying out of pocket for the other driver’s costs.
Now that we’ve reached the end of our guide on Midland, Texas, we hope your questions have been answered and you are ready to drive in Midland.
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