Hale County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Hale County, Texas has a population of 32,131, the 90th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $51,897 and the median home value is $116,500. The poverty rate is 20.5%.

Hale County Quick Facts

Population 32,131

Median Household Income $51,89790% MOE ±$4,443

Median Home Value $116,50090% MOE ±$12,510

Poverty Rate 20.5%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.3%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Median Age 34.4 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 60.5%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.3%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 74.3%

Cities/Places 5

Population 32,131 90th of 254

Median Income $51,897 34% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.5%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Hale 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	33,826	32,131	-5.0%
Median household income	$59,547	$51,897	-12.8%
Median home value¹	$101,780	$116,500	+14.5%
Median gross rent	$796	$836	No clear change (+5.0%)

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

Median Household Income

Hale

$51,897

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Hale

$116,500

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 24.3%

$25K-$50K 23.9%

$50K-$100K 31.7%

$100K+ 20.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

7.5%

$15K-$20K

5.0%

$20K-$25K

6.0%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

5.3%

$40K-$45K

5.5%

$45K-$50K

4.4%

$50K-$60K

7.8%

$60K-$75K

11.3%

$75K-$100K

12.7%

$100K-$125K

5.3%

$125K-$150K

5.1%

$150K-$200K

6.3%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

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

59.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 60.5%

Renter 39.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $836/mo 19.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

26.3%

18-34

24.7%

35-54

23.8%

55-74

19.2%

75+

6.1%

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 Hale County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Plainview	19,711	$44,768	24.0%	$113,000
Seth Ward	2,205	$53,990	24.7%	$62,400
Hale Center	2,037	$57,083	18.0%	$76,200
Petersburg	699	$51,250	18.7%	$72,700
Edmonson	120	$65,000	8.3%	N/A

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

Hale County is located in Texas with a total population of 32,131. It is the 90th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hale County is 34.4 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hale County is $51,897. This is 34% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.5%. This is 49% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. The median home value is $116,500. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Hale County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hale County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 61.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 31.4%. The Black or African American population (4.5%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (61.3% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% 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 74.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hale 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 Hale County, Texas?

Hale County has a population of 32,131, making it the 90th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Hale County?

The median household income in Hale County is $51,897 with a poverty rate of 20.5%.

How many cities are in Hale County, Texas?

Hale County contains 5 Census-designated places.