Devers offers rural living, top schools and access to Beaumont jobs
Devers is a rural town built around a major highway and surrounded by farmland. With under 500 residents, the community offers privacy and a welcoming atmosphere for new connections. “There's some local people that know pretty much everybody, but there’s enough new people that I wouldn’t say everyone knows your name,” says Alan Spear, a Realtor with VanDeventer Realtors who has eight years of real estate experience. Although it’s a small town, Devers has grown steadily since its 1870s start as a railroad stop, thanks to sawmills, cotton gins and rice farming. These days, cattle ranching and oil and natural gas are the main industries, with many residents commuting about 30 miles to Beaumont to work at the refineries. Another draw to Devers is its top-rated schools.
Homes range from small cottages to custom builds on acreage
Homes are set on everything from modest suburban lots to sprawling acreage. "Right inside the city limits, you can call it subdivisions, but it’s not going to be like in Houston. It’s still an old country town," Spear says. Even in town, where sidewalk-free roads curve around schools and churches, residents have yards with large vegetable gardens and sometimes a few goats. "The actual inside the city part of Devers is really small. Outside that, you have to put in a septic system, and if you get too far out, you’re looking at putting in a well," Spear says. Housing options include everything from minimal traditional cottages to ranch-style residences and custom builds. Single-family homes range from about $210,000 to $330,000. Manufactured properties make up a smaller share, selling from roughly $160,000 to $200,000. “There are a lot of large tracts of land you can get,” Spear says, for those who want to build their dream houses. The CAP Index Crime Score for Devers is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Two schools on one campus earn top ratings for early education
The Devers Independent School District serves students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in two schools on one campus. Both Devers Elementary and Devers Junior High earn A-plus ratings from Niche. In 2022, the elementary school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School for academic excellence. High schoolers attend school in nearby communities; one option is B-minus-rated Liberty High in Liberty, which is part of the Liberty Independent School District.
From the backyard garden to the nearby nature preserve
Gardening, hobby farming and hunting are part of everyday life. “Mostly, people are just enjoying the land. The closest park, like a national park, would be the Sam Houston National Forest,” Spear says. Although the national forest is about 90 miles away, the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge is within 15 miles of town. This 30,000-acre refuge is a place to observe wildlife, wander primitive trails, and fish, crab, boat or kayak on Champion Lake and Pickett’s Bayou. Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge is within 30 miles, granting access to Trinity Bay.
Nearby towns have grocery chains and restaurants for more variety
Right off U.S. Highway 90, in the center of Devers, is a handful of useful services, including a post office, an ATM and a Checkers drive-through. Devers Food Mart, at the Shell Gas Station, is a convenience store. Nearby Raywood has local favorites, such as Heritage Fruit & Vegetable, a fourth-generation operation that’s open on weekends for fresh produce. The city of Liberty, less than a 15-mile drive, has chains like Walmart Supercenter and Brookshire Brothers for groceries, as well as additional restaurants. Spear says Jax Hamburgers is a favorite for a classic patty, and the Simply Country Café whips up homestyle cooking.
Commuters can easily hop on the highway to Beaumont and beyond
U.S. Highway 90 is the main east-west route through Devers, traveling east toward Beaumont and west toward Liberty. Liberty Dayton Regional Medical Center is less than 15 miles away. George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Jack Brooks Regional Airport are within 60 miles.
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Kathryn Ashworth
