Ector County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Ector County, Texas has a population of 164,654, the 32nd most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $71,536 and the median home value is $200,200. The poverty rate is 16.4%.

Ector County Quick Facts

Population 164,654

Median Household Income $71,53690% MOE ±$3,707

Median Home Value $200,20090% MOE ±$9,662

Poverty Rate 16.4%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.9%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Median Age 31.4 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 64.7%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.6%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 78.3%

Cities/Places 3

Population 164,654 32nd of 254

Median Income $71,536 9% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.4%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Ector 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	160,579	164,654	+2.5%
Median household income	$77,501	$71,536	-7.7%
Median home value¹	$172,914	$200,200	+15.8%
Median gross rent	$1,303	$1,259	No clear change (-3.4%)

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

Median Household Income

Ector

$71,536

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Ector

$200,200

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.1%

$25K-$50K 17.7%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 34.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.7%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

2.7%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

3.5%

$35K-$40K

3.1%

$40K-$45K

4.6%

$45K-$50K

3.3%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

8.7%

$75K-$100K

13.0%

$100K-$125K

10.8%

$125K-$150K

6.3%

$150K-$200K

8.9%

$200K+

8.6%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

67.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.7%

Renter 35.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,259/mo 21.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

30.4%

18-34

25.8%

35-54

24.7%

55-74

15.4%

75+

3.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Ector County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
West Odessa	32,594	$65,234	16.7%	$126,300
Gardendale	1,544	$103,750	1.5%	$408,700
Goldsmith	177	$112,969	2.3%	$141,700

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

Ector County is located in Texas with a total population of 164,654. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ector County is 31.4 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 35.6 years. With 30.4% 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 $71,536. This is 9% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.4%. This is 19% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $200,200. Housing costs are 29% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Ector County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.7% 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 63.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 28.7%. The Black or African American population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (63.5% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% 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 78.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ector 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 Ector County, Texas?

Ector County has a population of 164,654, making it the 32nd most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Ector County?

The median household income in Ector County is $71,536 with a poverty rate of 16.4%.

How many cities are in Ector County, Texas?

Ector County contains 3 Census-designated places.