United States › Texas › Merkel CITY
Merkel Texas · 2,496 residents (2025 est.) · 2.80 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 2,699 people, Merkel is a city in Texas. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $115,100. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. The median age is 35.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 93%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,637 in 2000
2,496 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 937 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 2K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Merkel Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $73,500
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,083 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,292 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.370 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 6.7%
Public administration 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.5%
Education & health services 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$115,100
+93%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,058
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $385 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.1% in 2000
27.0% rent
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.88 people
+18%since 2009
from 2.44 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 82.8%(2,183)
Hispanic / Latino 14.2%(375)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 71.4%(1,928)
Hispanic / Latino 19%(514)
from 46 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 3 more ancestry groups with data from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 68.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 23.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 92.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 84.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 23.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 5.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 31.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10.4%(13)
Share of the 125 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Merkel Head to head
Compare Merkel to nearby cities MERKEL VS
Abilene
Income $62,648 −15%
Home value $183,700 +60%
Population 131,588 +5172%
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MERKEL VS
Sweetwater
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Home value $80,800 −30%
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MERKEL VS
Snyder
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Home value $104,000 −10%
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MERKEL VS
San Angelo
Income $65,864 −10%
Home value $187,600 +63%
Population 100,640 +3932%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Merkel, Texas? Merkel, Texas has about 2,699 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Merkel, Texas? The typical household in Merkel, Texas earns about $73,500 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Merkel, Texas expensive? In Merkel, Texas, the median home is worth about $115,100, and the typical rent is about $1,058 a month.
How educated are people in Merkel, Texas? About 12.4% of adults age 25 and over in Merkel, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Merkel, Texas? About 11.4% of people in Merkel, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Merkel, Texas grown since 1990? Yes, Merkel, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 232 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.
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