La Paloma-Lost Creek, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 439, La Paloma-Lost Creek's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

La Paloma-Lost Creek is a small community located in Texas, within Nueces County. The total population is 439. It ranks as the 1311th most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in La Paloma-Lost Creek is 29.6 years. This is 17% lower than the state median of 35.6 years. Only 5.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in La Paloma-Lost Creek is $2,499. This is 97% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 97% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 50.5%. This is 266% 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 15.6%. This is 196% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $332,800. Housing costs are 17% higher than the state median of $283,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 133.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 97.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 55% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in La Paloma-Lost Creek is Hispanic or Latino, making up 83.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 11.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (11.4%) is well below the state average of 39.1%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (83.8% vs 39.7%).

Education

2.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 92% 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 83.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for La Paloma-Lost Creek, Texas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.