Willacy County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Willacy County, Texas has a population of 20,139, the 121st most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $54,180 and the median home value is $73,600. The poverty rate is 24.0%.

Willacy County Quick Facts

Population 20,139

Median Household Income $54,18090% MOE ±$8,228

Median Home Value $73,60090% MOE ±$13,677

Poverty Rate 24.0%90% MOE ±5.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 7.5%90% MOE ±2.9 pts

Median Age 34.3 years90% MOE ±0.8 years

Homeownership Rate 74.8%90% MOE ±3.8 pts

Affordability Ratio 1.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.1%90% MOE ±2.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 71.2%

Cities/Places 10

Population 20,139 121st of 254

Median Income $54,180 31% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.0%

Unemployment 7.5%

How Willacy 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	21,588	20,139	-6.7%
Median household income	$43,716	$54,180	+23.9%
Median home value¹	$68,058	$73,600	No clear change (+8.1%)
Median gross rent	$817	$809	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

Willacy

$54,180

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Willacy

$73,600

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 27.9%

$25K-$50K 19.8%

$50K-$100K 28.1%

$100K+ 24.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.3%

$10K-$15K

8.5%

$15K-$20K

8.9%

$20K-$25K

3.2%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

4.5%

$45K-$50K

2.4%

$50K-$60K

7.3%

$60K-$75K

7.3%

$75K-$100K

13.5%

$100K-$125K

8.9%

$125K-$150K

5.0%

$150K-$200K

7.9%

$200K+

2.3%

Employment

7.5% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

55.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.8%

Renter 25.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $809/mo 17.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.6%

18-34

27.0%

35-54

25.1%

55-74

18.1%

75+

6.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Willacy County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Raymondville	10,185	$51,442	31.0%	$52,200
Lyford	2,054	$56,071	20.8%	$59,400
Lasara	1,467	N/A	16.5%	$57,700
Sebastian	1,021	$22,786	38.0%	$35,900
Los Angeles	553	N/A	9.7%	N/A
San Perlita	462	$74,688	19.7%	$56,600
Port Mansfield	245	N/A	10.9%	N/A
Ranchette Estates	229	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Zapata Ranch	190	$111,270	3.2%	N/A
Santa Monica	98	$89,375	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

Willacy County is located in Texas with a total population of 20,139. It is the 121st most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Willacy County is 34.3 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Willacy County is $54,180. This is 31% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.0%. This is 74% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 7.5%. This is 43% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $73,600. Housing costs are 74% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.4x, Willacy County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Willacy County has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 87.3% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 9.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (9.8%) is well below the state average of 39.1%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (87.3% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

14.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 58% 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 71.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Willacy 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 Willacy County, Texas?

Willacy County has a population of 20,139, making it the 121st most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Willacy County?

The median household income in Willacy County is $54,180 with a poverty rate of 24.0%.

How many cities are in Willacy County, Texas?

Willacy County contains 10 Census-designated places.