Willacy County, Texas Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Willacy County is located in Texas with a total population of 20,218. It is the 119th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Willacy County is 33.7 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 35.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Willacy County is $45,645. This is 40% lower than the state median of $76,292. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 24.6%. This is 78% 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 7.3%. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $60,800. Housing costs are 77% lower than the state median of $260,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Willacy County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Willacy County has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 87.2% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 10.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (10.5%) is well below the state average of 39.9%. 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 (87.2% vs 39.5%).

Education

12.2% 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 33.1%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 67.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Willacy 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.