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Rusk County, Texas Demographics 2026

Rusk County, Texas has a population of 52,613, the 64th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $67,506 and the median home value is $166,900. The poverty rate is 14.3%.

Rusk County Quick Facts

Population 52,613
Median Household Income $67,506
Median Home Value $166,900
Poverty Rate 14.3%
Unemployment Rate 3.8%
Median Age 38.8 years
Homeownership Rate 80.0%
Affordability Ratio 2.5x
Bachelor's Degree+ 17.9%
High School Graduation 84.9%
Cities/Places 5
Population 52,613 64th of 254
Median Income $67,506 12% lower than state
Poverty Rate 14.3%
Unemployment 3.8%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.1%
$25K-$50K 23.0%
$50K-$100K 29.1%
$100K+ 30.8%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.8%
$10K-$15K
3.3%
$15K-$20K
5.0%
$20K-$25K
4.0%
$25K-$30K
3.7%
$30K-$35K
4.4%
$35K-$40K
5.9%
$40K-$45K
4.0%
$45K-$50K
5.0%
$50K-$60K
6.3%
$60K-$75K
8.3%
$75K-$100K
14.5%
$100K-$125K
10.5%
$125K-$150K
6.3%
$150K-$200K
7.0%
$200K+
6.9%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%
52.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.0%
Renter 20.0%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
2.5x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

56out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Rusk County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Henderson13,348$54,17914.2%$166,900
Tatum1,528$70,70818.9%$200,800
New London1,198$50,90910.3%$169,400
Mount Enterprise351$68,2817.1%$176,700
Reklaw336$46,25023.2%$159,400

Population Overview

Rusk County is located in Texas with a total population of 52,613. It is the 64th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rusk County is 38.8 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 35.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rusk County is $67,506. This is 12% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 14.3%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 27% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $166,900. Housing costs are 36% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Rusk County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.0% 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 Rusk County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 18.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (61.9% vs 39.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (18.7%) is well below the state average of 39.5%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.3%.

Education

17.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 46% 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 84.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rusk 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Rusk County, Texas?

Rusk County has a population of 52,613, making it the 64th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Rusk County?

The median household income in Rusk County is $67,506 with a poverty rate of 14.3%.

How many cities are in Rusk County, Texas?

Rusk County contains 5 Census-designated places.