Stargaze Atlas

Texas dark-sky map — light pollution by town

244 towns rated · darkest: Canyon Lake · measured from VIIRS 2024 satellite night-lights

Texas has 244 towns rated for light pollution here, from its darkest — Canyon Lake (Bortle 4) — to its brightest city cores, with 1 rating as genuinely dark or rural sky (Bortle 4 or better). Every town is listed with the nearest measurably darker town to drive to. It also holds 9 certified International Dark Sky Places, listed below with the nearest rated town to each. Ratings are a VIIRS satellite proxy, not survey-grade sky-brightness readings.

Statewide Texas · VIIRS 2024
Towns rated
244

1 rate as genuinely dark or rural sky (about Bortle 4 or better).

Darkest town
Canyon Lake
Genuinely dark towns
1
Certified dark-sky places
9

Certified dark-sky places in Texas

9 sites in Texas hold an International Dark Sky Place certification — awarded for actively protecting the night sky, not measured from orbit like the town ratings below. What each designation means →

Certified International Dark Sky Places in Texas.
Place Designation Coordinates Nearest rated town Distance That town's sky
Big Bend National Park Dark Sky Park 29.250°N, 103.250°W Del Rio 140 mi B7
Big Bend Ranch State Park Dark Sky Park 29.531°N, 104.154°W West Odessa 190 mi B6
Clayton Lake State Park Dark Sky Park 36.578°N, 103.306°W Dumas 89 mi B7
Copper Breaks State Park Dark Sky Park 34.111°N, 99.752°W Vernon 28 mi B6
Devils River State Natural Area Dark Sky Sanctuary 29.935°N, 100.943°W Del Rio 40 mi B7
Dripping Springs Dark Sky Community 30.192°N, 98.085°W Lakeway 13 mi B5
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Dark Sky Park 30.506°N, 98.819°W Fredericksburg 16 mi B7
Horseshoe Bay Dark Sky Community 30.545°N, 98.368°W Lakeway 26 mi B5
South Llano River State Park Dark Sky Park 30.447°N, 99.805°W Kerrville 48 mi B8

All Texas towns by darkness

Darkest sky first, each with the nearest measurably darker town to drive to. Sort or filter below.

Texas towns, darkest sky first.
Sky Nearest darker sky
Canyon Lake 4 Rural / suburban transition 2.1 already the darkest nearby
Timberwood Park 5 Suburban sky 6.8 Canyon Lake — B4, 19 mi
Lakeway 5 Suburban sky 7.0 Canyon Lake — B4, 38 mi
Flower Mound 5 Suburban sky 7.9 Canyon Lake — B4, 230 mi
Vernon 6 Bright suburban sky 9.0 Flower Mound — B5, 150 mi
Socorro Mission Number 1 Colonia 6 Bright suburban sky 11 Chaparral, NM — B5, 27 mi
Highland Village 6 Bright suburban sky 12 Flower Mound — B5, 6 mi
Rendon 6 Bright suburban sky 12 Flower Mound — B5, 31 mi
Seagoville 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Flower Mound — B5, 42 mi
The Woodlands 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Lakeway — B5, 150 mi
Lancaster 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Flower Mound — B5, 35 mi
Glenn Heights 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Flower Mound — B5, 35 mi
Brushy Creek 6 Bright suburban sky 13 Lakeway — B5, 18 mi
Buda 6 Bright suburban sky 14 Lakeway — B5, 21 mi
La Homa 6 Bright suburban sky 15 Timberwood Park — B5, 240 mi
West Odessa 6 Bright suburban sky 15 Chaparral, NM — B5, 230 mi
Gatesville 6 Bright suburban sky 15 Lakeway — B5, 75 mi
Santa Fe 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Lakeway — B5, 185 mi
Socorro 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Chaparral, NM — B5, 26 mi
Burkburnett 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Flower Mound — B5, 115 mi
Greatwood 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Lakeway — B5, 150 mi
Rio Grande City 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Timberwood Park — B5, 230 mi
Robinson 6 Bright suburban sky 16 Lakeway — B5, 92 mi
Hewitt 6 Bright suburban sky 17 Lakeway — B5, 89 mi
Boerne 6 Bright suburban sky 17 Timberwood Park — B5, 16 mi
Anna 6 Bright suburban sky 17 Flower Mound — B5, 39 mi
Freeport 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Lakeway — B5, 185 mi
Schertz 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Timberwood Park — B5, 17 mi
Lake Jackson 6 Bright suburban sky 18 Lakeway — B5, 180 mi
Sienna Plantation 6 Bright suburban sky 19 Lakeway — B5, 160 mi
Rockport 6 Bright suburban sky 19 Timberwood Park — B5, 145 mi
Pecan Grove 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Lakeway — B5, 145 mi
Hutto 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Lakeway — B5, 29 mi
Kyle 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Canyon Lake — B4, 24 mi
La Marque 6 Bright suburban sky 20 Lakeway — B5, 195 mi
Mineral Wells 7 Suburban / urban transition 20 Rendon — B6, 53 mi
Raymondville 7 Suburban / urban transition 20 La Homa — B6, 39 mi
Pflugerville 7 Suburban / urban transition 21 Hutto — B6, 8 mi
Cibolo 7 Suburban / urban transition 21 Schertz — B6, 3 mi
Sweetwater 7 Suburban / urban transition 21 West Odessa — B6, 130 mi
Forney 7 Suburban / urban transition 21 Seagoville — B6, 8 mi
Brownwood 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Gatesville — B6, 76 mi
Lumberton 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 La Marque — B6, 77 mi
Beeville 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Rockport — B6, 50 mi
Dickinson 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Santa Fe — B6, 7 mi
Fresno 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Sienna Plantation — B6, 5 mi
Bonham 7 Suburban / urban transition 22 Anna — B6, 27 mi
Taylor 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Hutto — B6, 8 mi
Wells Branch 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Brushy Creek — B6, 6 mi
Crowley 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Rendon — B6, 7 mi
Portland 7 Suburban / urban transition 23 Rockport — B6, 19 mi
Stephenville 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Gatesville — B6, 61 mi
White Settlement 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Rendon — B6, 18 mi
Cedar Hill 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Glenn Heights — B6, 6 mi
Robstown 7 Suburban / urban transition 24 Rockport — B6, 41 mi
Gainesville 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Highland Village — B6, 37 mi
Bay City 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Lake Jackson — B6, 33 mi
Levelland 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 West Odessa — B6, 120 mi
Copperas Cove 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Gatesville — B6, 24 mi
Horizon City 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Socorro — B6, 6 mi
Port Lavaca 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Rockport — B6, 49 mi
Celina 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Anna — B6, 14 mi
El Campo 7 Suburban / urban transition 25 Greatwood — B6, 44 mi
Leander 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Brushy Creek — B6, 8 mi
Red Oak 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Glenn Heights — B6, 4 mi
Greenville 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Anna — B6, 29 mi
Snyder 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 West Odessa — B6, 110 mi
Friendswood 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Santa Fe — B6, 12 mi
Nacogdoches 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 The Woodlands — B6, 110 mi
Paris 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Anna — B6, 61 mi
Henderson 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Seagoville — B6, 105 mi
Palestine 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Seagoville — B6, 81 mi
Trophy Club 7 Suburban / urban transition 26 Flower Mound — B5, 5 mi
Corinth 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Highland Village — B6, 4 mi
Azle 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Flower Mound — B5, 27 mi
The Colony 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Highland Village — B6, 9 mi
Midlothian 7 Suburban / urban transition 27 Glenn Heights — B6, 9 mi
Brenham 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 The Woodlands — B6, 54 mi
Watauga 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Flower Mound — B5, 14 mi
Alvin 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Santa Fe — B6, 9 mi
Fredericksburg 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Boerne — B6, 34 mi
Mission Bend 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Pecan Grove — B6, 6 mi
Alton 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 La Homa — B6, 4 mi
Hurst 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Flower Mound — B5, 14 mi
Plainview 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Vernon — B6, 140 mi
Angleton 7 Suburban / urban transition 28 Lake Jackson — B6, 9 mi
Kingsville 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Rockport — B6, 60 mi
Fairview 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Anna — B6, 14 mi
New Territory 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Greatwood — B6, 3 mi
Royse City 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Seagoville — B6, 26 mi
Converse 7 Suburban / urban transition 29 Schertz — B6, 4 mi
Four Corners 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Pecan Grove — B6, 5 mi
The Trails of Frisco 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Highland Village — B6, 11 mi
Benbrook 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Rendon — B6, 14 mi
Clute 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Lake Jackson — B6, 2 mi
Sachse 7 Suburban / urban transition 30 Seagoville — B6, 24 mi
Seguin 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Schertz — B6, 18 mi
Waxahachie 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Glenn Heights — B6, 11 mi
Sulphur Springs 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Anna — B6, 57 mi
Belton 7 Suburban / urban transition 31 Gatesville — B6, 31 mi
Canyon 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Guymon, OK — B6, 120 mi
Kilgore 7 Suburban / urban transition 32 Seagoville — B6, 98 mi
Del Rio 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Boerne — B6, 135 mi
Georgetown 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Brushy Creek — B6, 9 mi
Rockwall 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Seagoville — B6, 21 mi
Donna 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 La Homa — B6, 20 mi
Killeen 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Gatesville — B6, 22 mi
Universal City 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Schertz — B6, 1 mi
Alice 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 Rockport — B6, 65 mi
Port Neches 7 Suburban / urban transition 33 La Marque — B6, 75 mi
Cedar Park 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Brushy Creek — B6, 5 mi
Pampa 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Guymon, OK — B6, 84 mi
Mansfield 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Rendon — B6, 6 mi
Orange 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 La Marque — B6, 89 mi
Pearland 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Sienna Plantation — B6, 14 mi
Spring 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 The Woodlands — B6, 7 mi
Terrell 7 Suburban / urban transition 34 Seagoville — B6, 17 mi
Forest Hill 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Rendon — B6, 7 mi
Lockhart 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Kyle — B6, 14 mi
Prosper 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Anna — B6, 17 mi
Port Arthur 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 La Marque — B6, 71 mi
Seabrook 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Santa Fe — B6, 14 mi
Athens 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Seagoville — B6, 50 mi
Alamo 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 La Homa — B6, 16 mi
Burleson 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Rendon — B6, 5 mi
DeSoto 7 Suburban / urban transition 35 Glenn Heights — B6, 3 mi
Mercedes 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 La Homa — B6, 29 mi
New Caney 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 The Woodlands — B6, 17 mi
Tomball 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 The Woodlands — B6, 9 mi
San Benito 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 La Homa — B6, 46 mi
Hereford 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Guymon, OK — B6, 140 mi
Rosenberg 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Pecan Grove — B6, 7 mi
Cinco Ranch 7 Suburban / urban transition 36 Pecan Grove — B6, 8 mi
North Richland Hills 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Flower Mound — B5, 15 mi
Richmond 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Pecan Grove — B6, 4 mi
Victoria 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Rockport — B6, 54 mi
Roma 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Rio Grande City — B6, 12 mi
Uvalde 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Boerne — B6, 75 mi
Andrews 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 West Odessa — B6, 33 mi
League City 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Santa Fe — B6, 9 mi
Bellmead 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Robinson — B6, 9 mi
Harker Heights 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Gatesville — B6, 25 mi
Corsicana 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Seagoville — B6, 38 mi
Denison 7 Suburban / urban transition 37 Anna — B6, 28 mi
Ennis 7 Suburban / urban transition 38 Lancaster — B6, 20 mi
Haltom City 7 Suburban / urban transition 38 Rendon — B6, 16 mi
Weatherford 7 Suburban / urban transition 38 Rendon — B6, 35 mi
Duncanville 7 Suburban / urban transition 38 Glenn Heights — B6, 8 mi
Texarkana 7 Suburban / urban transition 39 Malvern, AR — B6, 96 mi
Dumas 7 Suburban / urban transition 39 Guymon, OK — B6, 63 mi
Sugar Land 7 Suburban / urban transition 39 Greatwood — B6, 5 mi
New Braunfels 7 Suburban / urban transition 39 Schertz — B6, 14 mi
Mount Pleasant 7 Suburban / urban transition 39 Anna — B6, 92 mi
Sherman 7 Suburban / urban transition 40 Anna — B6, 20 mi
Groves 7 Suburban / urban transition 40 La Marque — B6, 75 mi
San Marcos 8 City sky 40 Kyle — B6, 8 mi
San Juan 8 City sky 40 Alamo — B7, 2 mi
Frisco 8 City sky 40 The Trails of Frisco — B7, 3 mi
Marshall 8 City sky 41 Kilgore — B7, 32 mi
Cleburne 8 City sky 41 Burleson — B7, 14 mi
Vidor 8 City sky 42 Port Neches — B7, 10 mi
Mesquite 8 City sky 42 Forney — B7, 8 mi
Borger 8 City sky 42 Pampa — B7, 26 mi
Kerrville 8 City sky 42 Fredericksburg — B7, 23 mi
Fort Worth 8 City sky 43 Forest Hill — B7, 5 mi
Weslaco 8 City sky 43 Donna — B7, 4 mi
Big Spring 8 City sky 43 Snyder — B7, 46 mi
Lufkin 8 City sky 43 Nacogdoches — B7, 19 mi
Hidalgo 8 City sky 45 Alamo — B7, 10 mi
Harlingen 8 City sky 45 San Benito — B7, 6 mi
McKinney 8 City sky 46 Fairview — B7, 3 mi
Waco 8 City sky 46 Bellmead — B7, 4 mi
Abilene 8 City sky 46 Sweetwater — B7, 39 mi
Nederland 8 City sky 46 Port Neches — B7, 2 mi
La Porte 8 City sky 47 Seabrook — B7, 7 mi
Baytown 8 City sky 47 Seabrook — B7, 12 mi
Keller 8 City sky 47 Watauga — B7, 5 mi
Wylie 8 City sky 47 Sachse — B7, 4 mi
Mission 8 City sky 47 La Homa — B6, 3 mi
Colleyville 8 City sky 48 Hurst — B7, 4 mi
Little Elm 8 City sky 48 The Trails of Frisco — B7, 4 mi
Balch Springs 8 City sky 48 Seagoville — B6, 8 mi
Rowlett 8 City sky 49 Sachse — B7, 5 mi
Jacksonville 8 City sky 50 Palestine — B7, 25 mi
Katy 8 City sky 51 Cinco Ranch — B7, 5 mi
Odessa 8 City sky 52 West Odessa — B6, 8 mi
Saginaw 8 City sky 54 Watauga — B7, 6 mi
Round Rock 8 City sky 55 Brushy Creek — B6, 4 mi
Garland 8 City sky 55 Sachse — B7, 5 mi
Channelview 8 City sky 55 Seabrook — B7, 16 mi
Missouri City 8 City sky 56 Sugar Land — B7, 6 mi
Euless 8 City sky 57 Hurst — B7, 5 mi
Eagle Pass 8 City sky 58 Del Rio — B7, 51 mi
Edinburg 8 City sky 59 Alamo — B7, 9 mi
Carrollton 8 City sky 59 The Colony — B7, 9 mi
Tyler 8 City sky 59 Kilgore — B7, 25 mi
Pharr 8 City sky 60 Alamo — B7, 4 mi
Conroe 8 City sky 60 The Woodlands — B6, 11 mi
Webster 8 City sky 60 League City — B7, 3 mi
Longview 8 City sky 61 Kilgore — B7, 11 mi
Amarillo 8 City sky 61 Canyon — B7, 17 mi
Grand Prairie 8 City sky 61 Duncanville — B7, 8 mi
Huntsville 8 City sky 61 The Woodlands — B6, 39 mi
Southlake 8 City sky 61 Trophy Club — B7, 5 mi
Murphy 8 City sky 62 Sachse — B7, 3 mi
Deer Park 8 City sky 62 Seabrook — B7, 11 mi
Bryan 8 City sky 63 Brenham — B7, 35 mi
Wichita Falls 8 City sky 63 Burkburnett — B6, 14 mi
Irving 8 City sky 64 Duncanville — B7, 12 mi
Stafford 8 City sky 64 Sugar Land — B7, 5 mi
South Houston 8 City sky 67 Pearland — B7, 8 mi
Lewisville 8 City sky 67 Highland Village — B6, 4 mi
Temple 8 City sky 67 Belton — B7, 8 mi
Fort Cavazos 8 City sky 68 Killeen — B7, 3 mi
Pasadena 8 City sky 69 Pearland — B7, 10 mi
Farmers Branch 8 City sky 70 The Colony — B7, 11 mi
Humble 8 City sky 71 Spring — B7, 11 mi
Live Oak 8 City sky 71 Universal City — B7, 3 mi
Galveston 8 City sky 72 La Marque — B6, 11 mi
Lubbock 8 City sky 72 Levelland — B7, 30 mi
San Angelo 8 City sky 73 Sweetwater — B7, 70 mi
Bedford 8 City sky 75 Hurst — B7, 2 mi
Allen 8 City sky 75 Fairview — B7, 4 mi
Denton 8 City sky 76 Corinth — B7, 6 mi
Midland 8 City sky 76 West Odessa — B6, 27 mi
Richardson 8 City sky 76 Sachse — B7, 8 mi
College Station 8 City sky 76 Brenham — B7, 32 mi
Cypress 8 City sky 78 Tomball — B7, 10 mi
Coppell 8 City sky 80 Flower Mound — B5, 6 mi
Brownsville 8 City sky 89 San Benito — B7, 18 mi
Plano 8 City sky 92 Sachse — B7, 7 mi
Beaumont 8 City sky 92 Port Neches — B7, 11 mi
McAllen 8 City sky 97 Alamo — B7, 7 mi
Grapevine 8 City sky 98 Flower Mound — B5, 6 mi
Arlington 9 Inner-city sky 109 Grand Prairie — B8, 6 mi
Texas City 9 Inner-city sky 110 La Marque — B6, 4 mi
Austin 9 Inner-city sky 111 Wells Branch — B7, 13 mi
Corpus Christi 9 Inner-city sky 121 Portland — B7, 7 mi
Laredo 9 Inner-city sky 121 Roma — B7, 82 mi
Addison 9 Inner-city sky 128 Carrollton — B8, 4 mi
San Antonio 9 Inner-city sky 163 Converse — B7, 13 mi
Dallas 9 Inner-city sky 167 Irving — B8, 9 mi
El Paso 9 Inner-city sky 188 Sunland Park, NM — B6, 6 mi
Houston 9 Inner-city sky 237 South Houston — B8, 10 mi

Frequently asked questions

Where are the darkest skies in Texas?
The darkest town tracked here is Canyon Lake, but the genuinely dark skies in Texas are its 9 certified International Dark Sky Places — Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Clayton Lake State Park, Copper Breaks State Park and others — listed further down with the nearest rated town to each.
How many dark-sky towns does Texas have?
Of 244 towns rated here, 1 rate as genuinely dark or rural sky (about Bortle 4 or better) — good for seeing the Milky Way on a clear, moonless night.
How are these light-pollution ratings measured?
From VIIRS 2024 annual-average satellite night-lights, sampled at each town's center and mapped to a darkness class and an estimated Bortle band. It is a satellite upward-radiance proxy for planning, not a survey-grade sky-brightness reading. See the methodology page for details.

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