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COUNTY

Gaines County

Texas · 23,956 residents (2025 est.) · 1,502 sq mi
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The short version

Gaines County is a county of 22,232 people in Texas. The median age is 29.3, younger than the US median of 38.9. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Since 2000 the county has risen by half, up 7,765 people. That puts it in the top 8% of US counties for household income. The foreign-born share is 29%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 160%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

22,232
+54%since 2000
from 14,467 in 2000
23,956 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
15 / sq mi
+50%since 2009
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
29.3
−1%since 2000
from 29.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,502 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K16K18K21K23K19902000201020202024Gaines County
202422K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 59.9%(2,207)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 911%(2,456)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.5%(1,892)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 199.6%(2,126)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.9%(1,758)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410%(2,225)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(2,889)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.2%(2,273)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.1%(2,255)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 745.9%(1,305)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843%(671)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over0.8%(175)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$74,132
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,432 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$30,645
+134%since 2000
from $13,088 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.3%
+25.4 ptssince 2009
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
6.8%
−14.9 ptssince 2000
from 21.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.428
−16%since 2010
from 0.511 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing22.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Wholesale trade16.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Construction12.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing9.9%
US avg: 0.4%
Finance & insurance8.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information5.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Other services3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services2.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$200,700
+160%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$789
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $343 in 2000
US average: $1,442
74.6%
−3.9 ptssince 2000
from 78.6% in 2000
25.4% rent
10.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
3.18 people
+6%since 2009
from 3.00 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
18.5%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
23.4%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.7
+91%since 2009
from 1.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
56
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic60.8%(8,803)
Black2.1%(304)
Hispanic / Latino35.8%(5,175)
Asian0.2%(22)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic56.4%(12,535)
Black2.1%(460)
Hispanic / Latino40.3%(8,954)
Asian0.6%(124)
Other0.7%(159)
65
Unchangedsince 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
37
−3%since 2020
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican36%(8,001)
Bolivian0.5%(104)
Honduran0.4%(90)
Spaniard0.2%(42)
Puerto Rican0.1%(22)
Asian origin
Taiwanese0.5%(118)
Ancestry
German21.5%(4,774)
American7.2%(1,590)
Canadian6.4%(1,416)
English3%(665)
Irish2.9%(638)
Russian2.3%(516)
Dutch0.8%(171)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(83)
Austrian0.3%(72)
French0.3%(69)
British0.2%(35)
Polish0.1%(23)
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.1%(23)
Italian0.1%(19)
West Indian0.1%(19)
Welsh0%(4)
Serbian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

11.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
57.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 56.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
2.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

26.2 min
+93%since 2000
from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
73.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 72.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
20.3%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
3.0%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
1.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
5.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 3.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
61.0%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 64.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
46.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 49.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
10.5%
−6.2 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
25.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

50.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
49.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
28.7%
+9.6 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
2.9%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
11.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2012
from 10.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
36.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 36.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
84.0%
+15.7 ptssince 2017
from 68.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.3%
+7.2 ptssince 2020
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
90.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
41.2%
−2.1 ptssince 2016
from 43.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
23.6%
−9.1 ptssince 2016
from 32.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.9%(2,461)
Married57.5%(4,569)
Widowed1.6%(124)
Divorced10%(799)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(2,081)
Married60.9%(4,703)
Widowed5.7%(437)
Divorced6.5%(503)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

36.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2013
from 36.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
30.3%
−11.8 ptssince 2020
from 42.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 7.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
10.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
22.9%
+5.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
39.1%
−10.0 ptssince 2020
from 49.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.4%
+6.5 ptssince 2020
from 24.9% 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)15.3%(64)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.2%(114)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.8%(125)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War13.8%(58)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II10.5%(44)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 419 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Gaines County, Texas?

Gaines County, Texas has about 22,232 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Gaines County, Texas?

The typical household in Gaines County, Texas earns about $74,132 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Gaines County, Texas expensive?

In Gaines County, Texas, the median home is worth about $200,700, and the typical rent is about $789 a month.

How educated are people in Gaines County, Texas?

About 11.7% of adults age 25 and over in Gaines County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Gaines County, Texas?

About 6.8% of people in Gaines County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Gaines County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Gaines County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,109 residents, a change of about 57 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →