Gaines County, Texas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Gaines County is located in Texas with a total population of 21,904. It is the 110th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gaines County is 29.3 years. This is 17% lower than the state median of 35.5 years. With 35.8% of the population under 18, Gaines County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Gaines County is $76,605. This is about the same as the state median of $76,292. It is also 2% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 7.4%. This is 47% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.2%. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $185,300. Housing costs are 29% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Gaines County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Gaines County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 39.8%. The Black or African American population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

8.1% 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 76% 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 58.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Gaines 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.