Emerald Bay, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 970, Emerald Bay's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Emerald Bay is a small community located in Texas, within Smith County. The total population is 970. It ranks as the 1029th most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Emerald Bay is 72.3 years. This is 103% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. Only 5.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 39.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Emerald Bay is $98,068. This is 25% higher than the state median of $78,476. It is also 21% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.3%. This is 84% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 7.3%. This is 38% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $351,000. Housing costs are 24% higher than the state median of $283,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 60% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Emerald Bay has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.9% vs 39.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 39.7%.

Education

48.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Emerald Bay in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 44% higher than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Emerald Bay, Texas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.