Zavala County, Texas Demographics 2026

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

Zavala County, Texas has a population of 9,412, the 170th most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $36,749 and the median home value is $98,800. The poverty rate is 33.9%.

Zavala County Quick Facts

Population 9,412

Median Household Income $36,74990% MOE ±$5,834

Median Home Value $98,80090% MOE ±$17,396

Poverty Rate 33.9%90% MOE ±9.5 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.0%90% MOE ±2.4 pts

Median Age 30.8 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 69.0%90% MOE ±6.9 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 11.1%90% MOE ±6.3 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 70.3%

Cities/Places 5

Population 9,412 170th of 254

Median Income $36,749 53% lower than state

Poverty Rate 33.9%

Unemployment 4.0%

How Zavala 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	12,039	9,412	-21.8%
Median household income	$42,409	$36,749	No clear change (-13.3%)
Median home value¹	$61,535	$98,800	+60.6%
Median gross rent	$770	$548	No clear change (-28.9%)

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

Median Household Income

Zavala

$36,749

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Zavala

$98,800

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 29.6%

$25K-$50K 34.2%

$50K-$100K 23.1%

$100K+ 13.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

10.9%

$10K-$15K

9.7%

$15K-$20K

4.7%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

10.7%

$35K-$40K

8.5%

$40K-$45K

5.0%

$45K-$50K

5.6%

$50K-$60K

5.2%

$60K-$75K

4.6%

$75K-$100K

13.3%

$100K-$125K

4.9%

$125K-$150K

5.0%

$150K-$200K

3.2%

$200K+

0.0%

Employment

4.0% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

55.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.0%

Renter 31.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $548/mo 17.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

29.3%

18-34

28.6%

35-54

17.3%

55-74

19.0%

75+

5.7%

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 Zavala County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Crystal City	6,159	$36,328	38.2%	$109,100
La Pryor	1,236	$39,205	24.0%	$75,700
Batesville	994	$28,140	52.7%	$73,400
Loma Grande	324	$76,308	0.0%	$33,000
Chula Vista (Zavala County)	311	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

Zavala County is located in Texas with a total population of 9,412. It is the 170th most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Zavala County is 30.8 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 35.6 years. With 29.3% of the population under 18, Zavala County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Zavala County is $36,749. This is 53% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 54% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 33.9%. This is 146% 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 4.0%. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $98,800. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Zavala County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Zavala County has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 92.6% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 6.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.0%) is well below the state average of 39.1%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (92.6% vs 39.7%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

11.1% 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 67% 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 70.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Zavala 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 Zavala County, Texas?

Zavala County has a population of 9,412, making it the 170th most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Zavala County?

The median household income in Zavala County is $36,749 with a poverty rate of 33.9%.

How many cities are in Zavala County, Texas?

Zavala County contains 5 Census-designated places.