Lavaca County, Texas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lavaca County is located in Texas with a total population of 20,479. 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 43.1 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 35.5 years. 10.6% 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 $61,768. This is 19% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 9.4%. This is 32% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 42% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $220,900. Housing costs are 15% lower than the state median of $260,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% 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 71.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 19.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (71.7% vs 39.9%). The Black or African American population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

20.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 37% 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 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lavaca 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.