United States › Texas › Willacy County COUNTY
Willacy County Texas · 19,971 residents (2025 est.) · 591 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
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth 20,139
Unchangedsince 2000
from 20,082 in 2000
19,971 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 29.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 19K 20K 21K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Willacy County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,180
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,114 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $9,421 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 33.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.545 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.5%
Public administration 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Education & health services 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$73,600
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$809
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $301 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.3% in 2000
25.3% rent
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 28.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.8% 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 11.7%(2,350)
Hispanic / Latino 85.7%(17,209)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 9.8%(1,966)
Hispanic / Latino 87.3%(17,577)
from 30 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 27 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
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 48.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 34.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 32.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 41.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 57.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 38.4%(2,769)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 32.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 28.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 32.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.2% 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) 20.6%(118)
Gulf War (1990s) 31.3%(179)
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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Willacy County Head to head
Compare Willacy County to nearby counties WILLACY COUNTY VS
Cameron County
Income $52,601 −3%
Home value $136,500 +85%
Population 433,946 +2073%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILLACY COUNTY VS
Kenedy County
Income $38,882 −28%
Home value $24,400 −67%
Population 319 −98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILLACY COUNTY VS
Hidalgo County
Income $54,338 same
Home value $140,900 +91%
Population 921,549 +4514%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILLACY COUNTY VS
Brooks County
Income $47,764 −12%
Home value $81,000 +10%
Population 6,579 −67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Willacy County, Texas? Willacy County, Texas has about 20,139 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Willacy County, Texas? The typical household in Willacy County, Texas earns about $54,180 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Willacy County, Texas expensive? In Willacy County, Texas, the median home is worth about $73,600, and the typical rent is about $809 a month.
How educated are people in Willacy County, Texas? About 14.0% of adults age 25 and over in Willacy County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Willacy County, Texas? About 24.0% of people in Willacy County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Willacy County, Texas grown since 1990? Yes, Willacy County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,434 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 