Matagorda County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Matagorda County, Texas has a population of 36,329, the 87th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $58,628 and the median home value is $172,900. The poverty rate is 20.7%.

Matagorda County Quick Facts

Population 36,329

Median Household Income $58,62890% MOE ±$4,363

Median Home Value $172,90090% MOE ±$18,533

Poverty Rate 20.7%90% MOE ±3.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 8.7%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Median Age 37.8 years90% MOE ±0.7 years

Homeownership Rate 68.1%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.2%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 81.0%

Cities/Places 8

Population 36,329 87th of 254

Median Income $58,628 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 20.7%

Unemployment 8.7%

How Matagorda 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	36,774	36,329	-1.2%
Median household income	$60,198	$58,628	No clear change (-2.6%)
Median home value¹	$141,285	$172,900	+22.4%
Median gross rent	$1,047	$999	No clear change (-4.6%)

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

Median Household Income

Matagorda

$58,628

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Matagorda

$172,900

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.3%

$25K-$50K 20.6%

$50K-$100K 31.1%

$100K+ 26.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.7%

$10K-$15K

5.7%

$15K-$20K

4.0%

$20K-$25K

3.9%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

5.0%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

9.9%

$60K-$75K

11.5%

$75K-$100K

9.8%

$100K-$125K

7.8%

$125K-$150K

6.6%

$150K-$200K

5.8%

$200K+

6.8%

Employment

8.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

60.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.1%

Renter 31.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $999/mo 20.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.6%

18-34

20.7%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

24.5%

75+

7.0%

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 Matagorda County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Bay City	17,730	$53,840	26.0%	$160,800
Palacios	4,388	$52,620	19.2%	$153,800
Van Vleck	1,763	$58,504	10.6%	$208,300
Sargent	1,422	$60,307	18.6%	$188,200
Markham	873	$68,536	1.7%	$137,600
Blessing	418	$51,313	0.0%	$138,100
Wadsworth	366	$31,847	2.7%	N/A
Matagorda	182	$14,145	75.3%	$380,000

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

Matagorda County is located in Texas with a total population of 36,329. It is the 87th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Matagorda County is 37.8 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Matagorda County is $58,628. This is 25% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.7%. This is 50% 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 8.7%. This is 65% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $172,900. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Matagorda County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Matagorda County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 41.4%. The Asian population (1.6%) 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 81.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Matagorda 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 Matagorda County, Texas?

Matagorda County has a population of 36,329, making it the 87th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Matagorda County?

The median household income in Matagorda County is $58,628 with a poverty rate of 20.7%.

How many cities are in Matagorda County, Texas?

Matagorda County contains 8 Census-designated places.