Panola County, Texas Demographics 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
Panola County, Texas has a population of 22,726, the 105th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $64,894 and the median home value is $158,100. The poverty rate is 11.2%.
Panola County Quick Facts
How Panola 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 | 23,327 | 22,726 | -2.6% |
| Median household income | $65,205 | $64,894 | No clear change (-0.5%) |
| Median home value¹ | $125,778 | $158,100 | +25.7% |
| Median gross rent | $944 | $834 | -11.6% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 71.1%
- Black: 11.2%
- Hispanic: 10.4%
- Asian: 0.5%
- Other: 0.5%
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 67 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < HS: 13.4%
- HS Diploma: 31.7%
- Some College: 27.7%
- Associate's: 10.2%
- Bachelor's: 11.1%
- Graduate+: 5.9%
Cities & Places in Panola County
Explore Texas Rankings
Population Overview
Panola County is located in Texas with a total population of 22,726. It is the 105th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Panola County is 40.9 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Panola County is $64,894. This is 17% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.2%. This is 19% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.5%. This is 53% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $158,100. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Panola County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 62.6%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Panola County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 71.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 11.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (71.1% vs 39.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (10.4%) is well below the state average of 39.7%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.
Education
17.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% 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 86.6%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Panola 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 Panola County, Texas?
Panola County has a population of 22,726, making it the 105th most populous county in Texas.
What is the median income in Panola County?
The median household income in Panola County is $64,894 with a poverty rate of 11.2%.
How many cities are in Panola County, Texas?
Panola County contains 3 Census-designated places.