Lavaca County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Lavaca County, Texas has a population of 20,552, the 117th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $63,240 and the median home value is $228,300. The poverty rate is 11.5%.

Lavaca County Quick Facts

Population 20,552

Median Household Income $63,24090% MOE ±$5,166

Median Home Value $228,30090% MOE ±$14,053

Poverty Rate 11.5%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Unemployment Rate 3.0%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Median Age 42.9 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 78.3%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.2%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.4%

Cities/Places 4

Population 20,552 117th of 254

Median Income $63,240 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.5%

Unemployment 3.0%

How Lavaca 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	20,021	20,552	+2.7%
Median household income	$66,954	$63,240	No clear change (-5.5%)
Median home value¹	$199,867	$228,300	+14.2%
Median gross rent	$925	$910	No clear change (-1.7%)

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

Median Household Income

Lavaca

$63,240

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Lavaca

$228,300

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.6%

$25K-$50K 23.0%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 31.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.9%

$10K-$15K

3.9%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

5.1%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.2%

$60K-$75K

8.8%

$75K-$100K

11.8%

$100K-$125K

7.3%

$125K-$150K

6.0%

$150K-$200K

12.1%

$200K+

6.2%

Employment

3.0% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

59.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.3%

Renter 21.7%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $910/mo 17.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.5%

18-34

17.4%

35-54

21.6%

55-74

26.7%

75+

10.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Lavaca County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Yoakum	5,846	$46,810	17.7%	$151,100
Hallettsville	2,755	$55,718	15.3%	$163,000
Shiner	2,154	$99,299	5.7%	$214,400
Moulton	884	$58,421	14.0%	$159,800

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

Lavaca County is located in Texas with a total population of 20,552. It is the 117th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lavaca County is 42.9 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. 10.9% 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 Lavaca County is $63,240. This is 19% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.5%. This is 17% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $228,300. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $283,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 78.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lavaca County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (71.5% vs 39.1%). The Black or African American population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

22.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 88.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lavaca 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 Lavaca County, Texas?

Lavaca County has a population of 20,552, making it the 117th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Lavaca County?

The median household income in Lavaca County is $63,240 with a poverty rate of 11.5%.

How many cities are in Lavaca County, Texas?

Lavaca County contains 4 Census-designated places.