Hale County, Texas Demographics 2026
Hale County, Texas has a population of 32,247, the 90th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $52,788 and the median home value is $106,100. The poverty rate is 19.0%.
Hale County Quick Facts
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
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 | 19,893 | $45,991 | 22.7% | $107,800 |
| Seth Ward | 1,909 | $54,209 | 23.4% | $57,500 |
| Hale Center | 1,705 | $49,083 | 14.5% | $85,300 |
| Petersburg | 787 | $38,636 | 11.4% | $71,400 |
| Edmonson | 177 | $53,750 | 1.1% | $79,000 |
Explore Texas Rankings
Population Overview
Hale County is located in Texas with a total population of 32,247. 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 34.1 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 35.5 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Hale County is $52,788. This is 31% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 19.0%. This is 37% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 21% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $106,100. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Hale County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% 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 60.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 32.1%. The Black or African American population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (60.8% vs 39.5%). The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.
Education
15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 75.1%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Hale 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Hale County, Texas?
Hale County has a population of 32,247, 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 $52,788 with a poverty rate of 19.0%.
How many cities are in Hale County, Texas?
Hale County contains 5 Census-designated places.