Ector County, Texas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Ector County is located in Texas with a total population of 163,206. It is the 30th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ector County is 31.3 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 35.5 years. With 30.3% of the population under 18, Ector County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ector County is $71,031. This is 7% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $190,500. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Ector County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ector County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 62.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 30.0%. The Black or African American population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (62.3% vs 39.5%). The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

16.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 33.1%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 77.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ector County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.