Houston County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Houston County, Texas has a population of 22,051, the 110th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $56,531 and the median home value is $164,900. The poverty rate is 15.0%.

Houston County Quick Facts

Population 22,051

Median Household Income $56,53190% MOE ±$3,782

Median Home Value $164,90090% MOE ±$8,879

Poverty Rate 15.0%90% MOE ±2.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.7%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Median Age 43.7 years90% MOE ±0.8 years

Homeownership Rate 70.6%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.8%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 83.0%

Cities/Places 5

Population 22,051 110th of 254

Median Income $56,531 28% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.0%

Unemployment 6.7%

How Houston 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	22,954	22,051	-3.9%
Median household income	$46,649	$56,531	+21.2%
Median home value¹	$123,932	$164,900	+33.1%
Median gross rent	$864	$887	No clear change (+2.7%)

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

Median Household Income

Houston

$56,531

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Houston

$164,900

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 23.3%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 27.5%

$100K+ 27.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.9%

$10K-$15K

4.5%

$15K-$20K

5.8%

$20K-$25K

6.1%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

5.3%

$40K-$45K

2.4%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

8.1%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

10.8%

$100K-$125K

9.0%

$125K-$150K

6.3%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

5.7%

Employment

6.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

44.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.6%

Renter 29.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $887/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.3%

18-34

17.1%

35-54

27.0%

55-74

25.4%

75+

10.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Houston County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Crockett	6,364	$38,869	22.1%	$121,100
Grapeland	1,595	$39,643	13.1%	$121,100
Lovelady	490	$47,500	6.5%	$126,800
Kennard	270	$82,500	18.5%	$105,000
Latexo	246	$58,864	7.7%	$116,700

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

Houston County is located in Texas with a total population of 22,051. It is the 110th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Houston County is 43.7 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. 10.1% 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 Houston County is $56,531. This is 28% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.0%. This is 9% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.7%. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $164,900. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Houston County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Houston County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 20.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (20.9% vs 11.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (14.4%) is well below the state average of 39.7%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 83.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Houston 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 Houston County, Texas?

Houston County has a population of 22,051, making it the 110th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Houston County?

The median household income in Houston County is $56,531 with a poverty rate of 15.0%.

How many cities are in Houston County, Texas?

Houston County contains 5 Census-designated places.