Deaf Smith County, Texas Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Deaf Smith County, Texas has a population of 18,460, the 130th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $60,799 and the median home value is $121,300. The poverty rate is 17.7%.

Deaf Smith County Quick Facts

Population 18,460

Median Household Income $60,79990% MOE ±$5,480

Median Home Value $121,30090% MOE ±$13,014

Poverty Rate 17.7%90% MOE ±4.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.5%90% MOE ±2.0 pts

Median Age 31.3 years90% MOE ±0.8 years

Homeownership Rate 66.8%90% MOE ±5.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 11.4%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 70.2%

Cities/Places 1

Population 18,460 130th of 254

Median Income $60,799 23% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.7%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Deaf Smith County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	18,736	18,460	-1.5%
Median household income	$61,167	$60,799	No clear change (-0.6%)
Median home value¹	$112,117	$121,300	No clear change (+8.2%)
Median gross rent	$970	$926	No clear change (-4.5%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Deaf Smith

$60,799

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Deaf Smith

$121,300

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.1%

$25K-$50K 24.1%

$50K-$100K 32.7%

$100K+ 26.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.3%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

4.5%

$25K-$30K

3.5%

$30K-$35K

4.6%

$35K-$40K

6.0%

$40K-$45K

7.1%

$45K-$50K

2.9%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

13.9%

$75K-$100K

11.3%

$100K-$125K

9.2%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

5.0%

$200K+

5.0%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

65.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.8%

Renter 33.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $926/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

31.4%

18-34

23.4%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

18.1%

75+

4.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Deaf Smith County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Hereford	14,840	$56,868	15.8%	$109,700

Explore Texas Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Deaf Smith County is located in Texas with a total population of 18,460. It is the 130th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Deaf Smith County is 31.3 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 35.6 years. With 31.4% of the population under 18, Deaf Smith County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Deaf Smith County is $60,799. This is 23% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.7%. This is 28% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $121,300. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Deaf Smith County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Deaf Smith County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 76.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 21.0%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (76.4% vs 39.7%).

Education

11.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 66% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 70.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Deaf Smith County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Texas and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Deaf Smith County, Texas?

Deaf Smith County has a population of 18,460, making it the 130th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Deaf Smith County?

The median household income in Deaf Smith County is $60,799 with a poverty rate of 17.7%.

How many cities are in Deaf Smith County, Texas?

Deaf Smith County contains 1 Census-designated place.