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COUNTY

Karnes County

Texas · 15,018 residents (2025 est.) · 747.752 sq mi
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The short version

Karnes County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,214. Population has declined 3% since 2000. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $149,000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 106%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
14,968
−3%since 2000
from 15,446 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
20 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 20 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.1
+12%since 2000
from 34.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:15,018 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
12K13K14K15K16K1990201020202024Karnes County
202415K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.8%(725)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.2%(631)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.9%(1,028)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(825)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.2%(1,074)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415%(2,240)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4419.2%(2,869)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(1,688)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.8%(1,620)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.9%(1,329)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.6%(696)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(243)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,214
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,526 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,304
+130%since 2000
from $13,603 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.5%
+19.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.1%
−2.7 ptssince 2000
from 21.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.554
+26%since 2010
from 0.441 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade13%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing10.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Information9.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Manufacturing7.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction3.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance2.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical1.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$149,000
+106%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$957
+61%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $326 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.4%
−11.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.2% in 2000
37.6% rent
Vacancy rate
20.8%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.0%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.0%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.5
+30%since 2009
from 1.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
63
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Karnes County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic40.8%(6,309)
Black10.4%(1,603)
Hispanic / Latino47.4%(7,324)
Asian0.4%(62)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic34.7%(5,191)
Black9.3%(1,389)
Hispanic / Latino53.4%(7,991)
Asian0.3%(45)
Other2.4%(352)
Diversity Score
73
−2%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
−20%since 2020
from 37 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
Mexican50.2%(7,515)
Puerto Rican0.5%(68)
Spaniard0.3%(51)
Salvadoran0.2%(31)
Honduran0.1%(10)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(29)
Vietnamese0.1%(9)
Korean0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(7)
Tongan0%(3)
Ancestry
German10.3%(1,539)
Polish6.9%(1,028)
Irish5.3%(799)
American3.3%(495)
English2.8%(421)
Italian1.4%(206)
Czech1.4%(203)
Scottish0.6%(96)
Swedish0.6%(86)
French0.5%(73)
Norwegian0.5%(73)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(59)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(46)
Russian0.3%(45)
Dutch0.3%(39)
Welsh0.3%(39)
Danish0.1%(14)
West Indian0.1%(13)
Ukrainian0.1%(10)
Brazilian0.1%(9)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest Polish population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
14.3%
+4.9 ptssince 2000
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
78.1%
+18.9 ptssince 2000
from 59.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.0%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.9 min
−5%since 2000
from 22.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.1%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.8%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.6%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.8%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2011
from 4.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
44.7%
+5.9 ptssince 2011
from 38.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
24.8%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
27.8%
−27.3 ptssince 2009
from 55.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
58.7%
−7.9 ptssince 2009
from 66.6% in 2009
Female
41.3%
+7.9 ptssince 2009
from 33.4% in 2009
Foreign born
3.7%
−11.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.9%
−64.2 ptssince 2009
from 68.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
20.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2012
from 22.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
15.8%
−68.2 ptssince 2013
from 84.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
70.6%
+15.6 ptssince 2017
from 55.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
75.2%
+4.7 ptssince 2016
from 70.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
23.1%
−5.0 ptssince 2016
from 28.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married51.4%(3,897)
Married33.4%(2,534)
Widowed4%(304)
Divorced11.1%(844)
Women 15+
Never married27.3%(1,364)
Married51%(2,551)
Widowed12.5%(628)
Divorced9.2%(462)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 14,822
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Pop 15,419
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Pop 15,943
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Pop 16,323
Places similar to Karnes County
Head to head

Compare Karnes County to nearby counties

KARNES COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$94,565+57%
Home value$321,300+116%
Population56,139+274%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KARNES COUNTY VS
Goliad County
Income$59,359−1%
Home value$192,500+29%
Population7,208−52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KARNES COUNTY VS
DeWitt County
Income$63,730+6%
Home value$170,900+15%
Population20,309+35%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KARNES COUNTY VS
Bee County
Income$57,673−4%
Home value$111,300−25%
Population32,515+117%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Karnes County, Texas?

Karnes County, Texas has about 14,968 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Karnes County, Texas earns about $60,214 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Karnes County, Texas expensive?

In Karnes County, Texas, the median home is worth about $149,000, and the typical rent is about $957 a month.

How educated are people in Karnes County, Texas?

About 14.3% of adults age 25 and over in Karnes County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Karnes County, Texas?

About 19.1% of people in Karnes County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Karnes County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Karnes County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,513 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

5 census tracts
Census Tract 9702Census Tract 9703.02Census Tract 9703.01Census Tract 9701Census Tract 9704
7 ZIP codes
ZIP 78119ZIP 78118ZIP 78151ZIP 78117ZIP 78116ZIP 78144ZIP 78111
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →