Jefferson County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Jefferson County, Texas has a population of 253,878, the 22nd most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $60,026 and the median home value is $169,500. The poverty rate is 19.5%.

Jefferson County Quick Facts

Population 253,878

Median Household Income $60,02690% MOE ±$1,694

Median Home Value $169,50090% MOE ±$4,123

Poverty Rate 19.5%90% MOE ±1.1 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.3%90% MOE ±0.7 pts

Median Age 37.0 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 62.5%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.7%90% MOE ±0.9 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 85.1%

Cities/Places 13

Population 253,878 22nd of 254

Median Income $60,026 24% lower than state

Poverty Rate 19.5%

Unemployment 6.3%

How Jefferson 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	254,340	253,878	-0.2%
Median household income	$63,071	$60,026	-4.8%
Median home value¹	$138,824	$169,500	+22.1%
Median gross rent	$1,072	$1,117	+4.2%

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

Median Household Income

Jefferson

$60,026

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jefferson

$169,500

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.1%

$25K-$50K 21.0%

$50K-$100K 28.3%

$100K+ 29.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.9%

$10K-$15K

5.1%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

4.6%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

3.8%

$35K-$40K

4.5%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

4.6%

$50K-$60K

7.9%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

11.1%

$100K-$125K

9.2%

$125K-$150K

5.9%

$150K-$200K

7.9%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

6.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

56.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 62.5%

Renter 37.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,117/mo 22.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.6%

18-34

22.6%

35-54

25.2%

55-74

21.4%

75+

6.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very High Diversity

This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Jefferson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Beaumont	113,279	$56,997	21.2%	$166,400
Port Arthur	55,828	$46,354	29.0%	$107,400
Nederland	18,381	$77,570	8.3%	$208,300
Groves	16,976	$73,710	8.0%	$163,600
Port Neches	13,664	$81,637	13.1%	$253,200
Central Gardens	3,976	$83,750	12.7%	$216,700
Fannett	1,654	$90,962	9.7%	$230,900
Hamshire	1,388	$102,800	3.3%	$202,600
Beauxart Gardens	1,276	N/A	3.2%	$171,600
Bevil Oaks	1,133	$91,031	7.7%	$232,700
China	963	$55,104	11.8%	$186,500
Taylor Landing	284	$134,063	4.6%	$296,800
Nome	253	$58,125	13.4%	$166,100

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

Jefferson County is located in Texas with a total population of 253,878. It is the 22nd most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jefferson County is 37.0 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jefferson County is $60,026. This is 24% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.5%. This is 41% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 20% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $169,500. Housing costs are 40% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Jefferson County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 62.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Jefferson County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 32.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (32.7% vs 11.9%).

Education

19.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 42% 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 85.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Texas?

Jefferson County has a population of 253,878, making it the 22nd most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Jefferson County?

The median household income in Jefferson County is $60,026 with a poverty rate of 19.5%.

How many cities are in Jefferson County, Texas?

Jefferson County contains 13 Census-designated places.