Karnes County, Texas Demographics 2026

Name: Karnes County, Texas Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Karnes County, Texas has a population of 14,819, the 140th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $59,103 and the median home value is $136,900. The poverty rate is 21.3%.

Karnes County Quick Facts

Population 14,819

Median Household Income $59,103

Median Home Value $136,900

Poverty Rate 21.3%

Unemployment Rate 4.6%

Median Age 37.1 years

Homeownership Rate 65.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.0%

High School Graduation 77.2%

Cities/Places 4

Population 14,819 140th of 254

Median Income $59,103 23% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.3%

Unemployment 4.6%

Median Household Income

Karnes

$59,103

$76,292

National

$78,538

Median Home Value

Karnes

$136,900

$260,400

National

$303,400

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 28.1%

$25K-$50K 17.8%

$50K-$100K 25.7%

$100K+ 28.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.1%

$10K-$15K

7.7%

$15K-$20K

4.6%

$20K-$25K

8.7%

$25K-$30K

2.8%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

1.5%

$50K-$60K

5.1%

$60K-$75K

7.0%

$75K-$100K

13.6%

$100K-$125K

8.9%

$125K-$150K

3.4%

$150K-$200K

7.0%

$200K+

9.1%

Employment

4.6% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

43.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 65.3%

Renter 34.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.1%

18-34

25.9%

35-54

27.5%

55-74

20.3%

75+

6.2%

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 Karnes County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Kenedy	3,442	$39,688	30.2%	$134,300
Karnes City	3,101	$58,601	25.8%	$90,400
Runge	1,196	$35,313	42.8%	$57,200
Falls City	853	$77,697	14.3%	$213,500

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

Karnes County is located in Texas with a total population of 14,819. It is the 140th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Karnes County is 37.1 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 35.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Karnes County is $59,103. This is 23% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 21.3%. This is 54% 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 4.6%. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $136,900. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Karnes County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 65.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Karnes County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 53.1% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 35.1%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

16.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% 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 77.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Karnes 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 Karnes County, Texas?

Karnes County has a population of 14,819, making it the 140th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Karnes County?

The median household income in Karnes County is $59,103 with a poverty rate of 21.3%.

How many cities are in Karnes County, Texas?

Karnes County contains 4 Census-designated places.