United States › Texas › Jim Wells County COUNTY
Jim Wells County Texas · 38,804 residents (2025 est.) · 865 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Jim Wells County is a county of 38,850 people in Texas. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $123,600. 24.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Texas median by roughly 34%. 5% of residents were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 39,326 in 2000
38,804 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 47 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K 38K 40K 41K 42K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Jim Wells County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,896
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,843 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,252 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 12.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Public administration 1.8%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
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$123,600
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$938
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $420 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.5% in 2000
31.5% rent
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.90 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.90 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 22.9%(9,001)
Hispanic / Latino 75.7%(29,772)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 18.4%(7,135)
Hispanic / Latino 79.5%(30,899)
from 45 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 35 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 Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 10.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 64.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 23.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 52.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 46.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.9%(5,495)
Women 15+
Never married 30.8%(4,711)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 23.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.9% 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) 52.3%(894)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.5%(247)
Share of the 1,709 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 Jim Wells County Head to head
Compare Jim Wells County to nearby counties JIM WELLS COUNTY VS
Duval County
Income $49,038 −6%
Home value $89,400 −28%
Population 9,402 −76%
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JIM WELLS COUNTY VS
Kleberg County
Income $61,292 +18%
Home value $161,300 +31%
Population 30,315 −22%
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JIM WELLS COUNTY VS
Nueces County
Income $66,897 +29%
Home value $208,800 +69%
Population 352,992 +810%
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JIM WELLS COUNTY VS
San Patricio County
Income $69,704 +34%
Home value $192,400 +56%
Population 72,053 +86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Jim Wells County, Texas? Jim Wells County, Texas has about 38,850 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Jim Wells County, Texas? The typical household in Jim Wells County, Texas earns about $51,896 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Jim Wells County, Texas expensive? In Jim Wells County, Texas, the median home is worth about $123,600, and the typical rent is about $938 a month.
How educated are people in Jim Wells County, Texas? About 16.3% of adults age 25 and over in Jim Wells County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Jim Wells County, Texas? About 24.7% of people in Jim Wells County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Jim Wells County, Texas grown since 1990? Yes, Jim Wells County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,171 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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