Wharton County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Wharton County, Texas has a population of 41,794, the 80th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $66,924 and the median home value is $189,900. The poverty rate is 13.6%.

Wharton County Quick Facts

Population 41,794

Median Household Income $66,92490% MOE ±$3,866

Median Home Value $189,90090% MOE ±$12,396

Poverty Rate 13.6%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.9%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Median Age 38.1 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 72.3%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.7%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 85.5%

Cities/Places 7

Population 41,794 80th of 254

Median Income $66,924 15% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.6%

Unemployment 4.9%

How Wharton 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	41,577	41,794	+0.5%
Median household income	$59,455	$66,924	+12.6%
Median home value¹	$157,654	$189,900	+20.5%
Median gross rent	$954	$1,046	No clear change (+9.7%)

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

Median Household Income

Wharton

$66,924

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wharton

$189,900

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.3%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 31.2%

$100K+ 32.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.4%

$10K-$15K

3.4%

$15K-$20K

2.9%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

2.1%

$35K-$40K

6.6%

$40K-$45K

3.1%

$45K-$50K

5.6%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

10.9%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

7.9%

$125K-$150K

8.2%

$150K-$200K

7.8%

$200K+

8.2%

Employment

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

60.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.3%

Renter 27.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,046/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.4%

18-34

20.9%

35-54

23.1%

55-74

23.3%

75+

7.3%

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 Wharton County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
El Campo	12,202	$67,017	21.0%	$201,400
Wharton	8,724	$58,212	11.9%	$149,400
East Bernard	3,053	$97,961	5.2%	$341,500
Louise	890	$63,750	20.5%	$122,700
Boling	374	$84,545	11.5%	$169,900
Hungerford	171	N/A	14.6%	N/A
Iago	49	N/A	0.0%	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

Wharton County is located in Texas with a total population of 41,794. It is the 80th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wharton County is 38.1 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wharton County is $66,924. This is 15% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.6%. This is 1% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $189,900. Housing costs are 33% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Wharton County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wharton County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 42.0%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

20.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% 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 85.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wharton 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 Wharton County, Texas?

Wharton County has a population of 41,794, making it the 80th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Wharton County?

The median household income in Wharton County is $66,924 with a poverty rate of 13.6%.

How many cities are in Wharton County, Texas?

Wharton County contains 7 Census-designated places.