Gillespie County, Texas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Gillespie County is located in Texas with a total population of 27,202. It is the 99th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gillespie County is 50.5 years. This is 42% higher than the state median of 35.5 years. 13.7% 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 Gillespie County is $67,799. This is 11% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 9.5%. This is 31% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $432,300. Housing costs are 66% higher than the state median of $260,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 71.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Gillespie County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 74.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (74.2% vs 39.9%). The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

35.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Gillespie County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 7% higher 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 89.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Gillespie 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.