Ward County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Ward County, Texas has a population of 11,144, the 159th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $65,952 and the median home value is $150,700. The poverty rate is 14.9%.

Ward County Quick Facts

Population 11,144

Median Household Income $65,95290% MOE ±$17,987

Median Home Value $150,70090% MOE ±$21,680

Poverty Rate 14.9%90% MOE ±4.7 pts

Unemployment Rate 2.9%90% MOE ±1.9 pts

Median Age 34.5 years90% MOE ±1.4 years

Homeownership Rate 78.5%90% MOE ±3.1 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.4%90% MOE ±2.6 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 78.1%

Cities/Places 7

Population 11,144 159th of 254

Median Income $65,952 16% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.9%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Ward 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	11,658	11,144	-4.4%
Median household income	$77,517	$65,952	No clear change (-14.9%)
Median home value¹	$106,825	$150,700	+41.1%
Median gross rent	$1,106	$1,118	No clear change (+1.0%)

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

Median Household Income

Ward

$65,952

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Ward

$150,700

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.7%

$25K-$50K 24.1%

$50K-$100K 29.4%

$100K+ 34.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.5%

$10K-$15K

2.1%

$15K-$20K

3.8%

$20K-$25K

1.3%

$25K-$30K

3.4%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

5.0%

$40K-$45K

4.7%

$45K-$50K

6.1%

$50K-$60K

12.0%

$60K-$75K

5.0%

$75K-$100K

12.5%

$100K-$125K

10.7%

$125K-$150K

8.1%

$150K-$200K

10.0%

$200K+

5.9%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

65.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.5%

Renter 21.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,118/mo 20.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

29.2%

18-34

21.4%

35-54

25.3%

55-74

17.7%

75+

6.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

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

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Ward County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Monahans	7,452	$70,677	15.6%	$160,800
Southwest Sandhill	1,143	$74,306	11.2%	$109,700
Wickett	699	$57,109	4.2%	$84,700
Thorntonville	626	$61,141	16.5%	$200,000
Grandfalls	375	$33,125	22.9%	$44,100
Barstow	198	N/A	4.0%	$180,800
Pyote	115	N/A	31.3%	$257,100

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

Ward County is located in Texas with a total population of 11,144. It is the 159th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ward County is 34.5 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 35.6 years. With 29.2% of the population under 18, Ward County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ward County is $65,952. This is 16% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.9%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $150,700. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Ward County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ward County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 56.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 36.4%. The Black or African American population (5.0%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

12.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 63% 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 78.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ward 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 Ward County, Texas?

Ward County has a population of 11,144, making it the 159th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Ward County?

The median household income in Ward County is $65,952 with a poverty rate of 14.9%.

How many cities are in Ward County, Texas?

Ward County contains 7 Census-designated places.