Willacy County is a county of 20,139 people in Texas. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $73,600. The median age is 34.3, younger than the US median of 38.9. 24.0% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 31% less than in Texas as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $54,180, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Willacy County
What changed most since 1990
Poverty rate44.5% → 24.0%(−20.5 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
White share15.3% → 9.8%(−5.5 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree8.8% → 14.0%(+5.3 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)20.6%(118)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.3%(179)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era46.2%(264)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1%(6)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.6%(15)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 572 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
Over time
Willacy County, decade by decade
Willacy County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
17,705
$35,017
$60,002
8.8%
33.8
2000
20,082
$40,284
$61,025
7.5%
31.4
2010
22,134
$32,916
$66,462
8.6%
28.7
2020
20,164
$45,944
$75,268
9.2%
28.6
2024
20,139
$54,180
$73,600
14.0%
28.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
