Petrolia, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 416, Petrolia'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

Petrolia is a small community located in Texas, within Clay County. The total population is 416. It ranks as the 1333rd most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Petrolia is 51.2 years. This is 44% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. 14.9% 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 Petrolia is $63,750. This is 19% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.5%. This is 2% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 10.7%. This is 104% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $95,600. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Petrolia is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Petrolia has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (92.8% vs 39.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (7.2%) is well below the state average of 39.7%.

Education

10.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 68% 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 93.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Petrolia, 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.