Jim Wells County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Jim Wells County, Texas has a population of 38,850, the 81st most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $51,896 and the median home value is $123,600. The poverty rate is 24.7%.

Jim Wells County Quick Facts

Population 38,850

Median Household Income $51,89690% MOE ±$6,825

Median Home Value $123,60090% MOE ±$22,797

Poverty Rate 24.7%90% MOE ±3.2 pts

Unemployment Rate 6.1%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Median Age 35.7 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 68.5%90% MOE ±2.9 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.3%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 79.6%

Cities/Places 16

Population 38,850 81st of 254

Median Income $51,896 34% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.7%

Unemployment 6.1%

How Jim Wells 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	40,972	38,850	-5.2%
Median household income	$51,081	$51,896	No clear change (+1.6%)
Median home value¹	$93,780	$123,600	+31.8%
Median gross rent	$877	$938	No clear change (+6.9%)

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

Median Household Income

Jim Wells

$51,896

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jim Wells

$123,600

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 25.9%

$25K-$50K 23.2%

$50K-$100K 24.3%

$100K+ 26.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.1%

$10K-$15K

8.4%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

7.1%

$25K-$30K

6.3%

$30K-$35K

3.5%

$35K-$40K

3.1%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

5.5%

$50K-$60K

5.0%

$60K-$75K

10.2%

$75K-$100K

9.2%

$100K-$125K

9.7%

$125K-$150K

7.4%

$150K-$200K

3.9%

$200K+

5.4%

Employment

6.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

55.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.5%

Renter 31.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $938/mo 21.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

27.3%

18-34

21.3%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

20.6%

75+

6.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Jim Wells County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Alice	17,707	$48,676	31.4%	$131,100
San Diego	3,675	$53,174	34.0%	$85,600
Premont	2,428	$47,728	27.9%	$89,800
Ben Bolt	2,152	$61,741	16.3%	$100,000
Rancho Alegre	1,337	$49,202	23.7%	$51,100
Orange Grove	1,089	$44,779	13.8%	$123,300
Coyote Acres	977	$103,750	2.7%	N/A
Alice Acres	819	N/A	56.8%	N/A
South La Paloma	386	$42,361	26.9%	N/A
K-Bar Ranch	361	$42,390	8.3%	$35,000
Alfred	227	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Westdale	212	N/A	24.5%	$329,500
Sandia	206	$250,000+	0.0%	$328,400
Owl Ranch	148	N/A	22.3%	N/A
Amargosa	60	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Loma Linda East (Jim Wells County)	9	N/A	100.0%	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

Jim Wells County is located in Texas with a total population of 38,850. It is the 81st most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jim Wells County is 35.7 years. This is about the same as the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jim Wells County is $51,896. 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 24.7%. This is 79% 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 6.1%. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $123,600. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Jim Wells County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Jim Wells County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 79.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 18.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (18.4%) is well below the state average of 39.1%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (79.5% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

16.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% 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 79.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County, Texas?

Jim Wells County has a population of 38,850, making it the 81st most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Jim Wells County?

The median household income in Jim Wells County is $51,896 with a poverty rate of 24.7%.

How many cities are in Jim Wells County, Texas?

Jim Wells County contains 16 Census-designated places.