Runnels County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Runnels County, Texas has a population of 9,874, the 163rd most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $62,632 and the median home value is $109,300. The poverty rate is 11.0%.

Runnels County Quick Facts

Population 9,874

Median Household Income $62,63290% MOE ±$4,391

Median Home Value $109,30090% MOE ±$11,215

Poverty Rate 11.0%90% MOE ±2.8 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.9%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Median Age 42.1 years90% MOE ±0.7 years

Homeownership Rate 75.0%90% MOE ±2.7 pts

Affordability Ratio 1.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.1%90% MOE ±3.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 87.2%

Cities/Places 5

Population 9,874 163rd of 254

Median Income $62,632 20% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.0%

Unemployment 4.9%

How Runnels 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	10,277	9,874	-3.9%
Median household income	$55,308	$62,632	+13.2%
Median home value¹	$100,180	$109,300	No clear change (+9.1%)
Median gross rent	$793	$847	No clear change (+6.9%)

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

Median Household Income

Runnels

$62,632

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Runnels

$109,300

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.5%

$25K-$50K 21.1%

$50K-$100K 36.2%

$100K+ 25.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.9%

$10K-$15K

5.1%

$15K-$20K

4.1%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

7.1%

$45K-$50K

5.1%

$50K-$60K

8.8%

$60K-$75K

14.1%

$75K-$100K

13.3%

$100K-$125K

7.8%

$125K-$150K

6.8%

$150K-$200K

5.7%

$200K+

5.0%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

61.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.0%

Renter 25.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $847/mo 16.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.5%

18-34

18.4%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

24.5%

75+

9.5%

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 Runnels County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Ballinger	3,583	$58,870	8.3%	$109,400
Winters	2,405	$48,590	19.1%	$55,100
Miles	1,030	$74,000	15.6%	$203,800
Rowena	199	$59,632	8.5%	$158,100
Wingate	128	$100,060	12.5%	N/A

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

Runnels County is located in Texas with a total population of 9,874. It is the 163rd most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Runnels County is 42.1 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Runnels County is $62,632. This is 20% 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 11.0%. This is 20% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $109,300. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Runnels County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Runnels County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 34.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (60.0% vs 39.1%). The Black or African American population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

19.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 43% 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 87.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Runnels 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 Runnels County, Texas?

Runnels County has a population of 9,874, making it the 163rd most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Runnels County?

The median household income in Runnels County is $62,632 with a poverty rate of 11.0%.

How many cities are in Runnels County, Texas?

Runnels County contains 5 Census-designated places.