Salado, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Salado is a small community located in Texas, within Bell County. The total population is 2,225. It ranks as the 702nd most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Salado is 49.8 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. 18.1% 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 Salado is $107,679. This is 37% higher than the state median of $78,476. It is also 33% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.3%. This is 69% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.0%. This is 63% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $445,900. Housing costs are 57% higher than the state median of $283,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 87.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 40% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Salado is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (80.6% vs 39.1%). The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (14.0%) is well below the state average of 39.7%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

60.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Salado in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 78% higher 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 98.7%. Notably, 25.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Salado, 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.